A New Semiautomatic PVT Apparatus for Characterizing Vapex Systems

A New Semi-Automatic PVT Apparatus for Characterizing Vapex Systems Norman P. Freitag; Norman P. Freitag Saskatchewan Research Council Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Selim George Sayegh; Selim George Sayegh Saskatchewan Research Council Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Ray Exelby Ray Exelby Saskatchewan Research Council Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Paper presented at the SPE International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, November 2005. Paper Number: SPE-97783-MS https://doi.org/10.2118/97783-MS Published: November 01 2005 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Get Permissions Search Site Citation Freitag, Norman P., Sayegh, Selim George, and Ray Exelby. "A New Semi-Automatic PVT Apparatus for Characterizing Vapex Systems." Paper presented at the SPE International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, November 2005. doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/97783-MS Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAll ProceedingsSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)SPE International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium Search Advanced Search AbstractKnowledge of fluid properties is critical to the design of Vapex projects and other enhanced oil recovery processes that use solvent vapor extraction, yet very few pertinent data exist in the published literature. This paper describes a new apparatus for the efficient and accurate measurement of the physical and phase behaviour properties of mixtures of heavy oils and solvents such as propane and butane. The apparatus combines advanced capabilities that make it superior to conventional designs: The automated functions improve the speed at which the data are acquired and reduce operator error. Inline density and viscosity measurements add the capability of multi-phase detection. High-pressure filtration permits measurement of asphaltene and wax precipitation at reservoir conditions. Dual gasometers allow accurate measurements of gas solubility over a wide range of solvents and reservoir pressures. Sub-ambient temperature control makes it suitable for Canadian operations.The apparatus was tested against published measurements for the n-hexadecane-carbon dioxide system, and then used to gather a comprehensive suite of data at two isotherms for a Lloydminster heavy oil-propane system. Random scatter in the resulting data was very small. The equipment is well suited to the acquisition of fluid property measurements for both field design and correlation purposes.With the improvements in both the precision of measurements and the speed of operation offered by the new equipment, it was possible to test some assumptions used in measuring vapor-liquid equilibrium in heavy oil-solvent systems. The results suggested that a noticeable uncertainty may be associated with conventional methods used to determine saturation pressures in these systems.IntroductionNumerical reservoir simulation has become an important tool for the screening and design of enhanced oil recovery processes. Processes that involve volatile solvents are dominated by phase equilibrium boundaries and the effects of dissolved solvent on the properties of the oil phase. It is therefore essential that these effects be represented accurately during simulation.Most simulations depend, either directly or indirectly, on a cubic equation of state to provide the input parameters that govern the calculation of solvent solubility, phase boundaries, and phase densities. For heavy oils and bitumens, these properties cannot be predicted accurately. Consequently, the tuning of an equation of state requires laboratory data on the solvent solubility and the associated changes to the oil-phase properties for any specific solvent-oil mixture. Such data are normally acquired with an apparatus designed to measure the pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) relationships of fluid mixtures.For the original Vapex process,[1] the prediction of the production performance from horizontal production wells was based on an explicit formula in which the effects of viscosity and density changes were contained within a single parameter. The values of this parameter were derived from the production performance of laboratory models. As a result, the PVT data needed for the preparation of simulator input were not required and therefore not measured by most earlier investigators, even when the effects of previously untested solvents such as butane were examined.[2] There exist, therefore, only a few data in the literature on the effects of common solvents on the properties of heavy oils and bitumens.Mehrotra and Svrcek[3–7] measured the solubilities of carbon dioxide and ethane (and several lighter gases) in several bitumens, and have provided some measurements on the effects of these solvents on oil density and viscosity. Keywords: solvent concentration, propane concentration, oil sand, solubility data, enhanced recovery, heavy oil, canadian petroleum technology, upstream oil & gas, kpa, higher pressure Subjects: Fluid Characterization, Improved and Enhanced Recovery, Unconventional and Complex Reservoirs, Phase behavior and PVT measurements, Oil sand, oil shale, bitumen This content is only available via PDF. 2005. SPE/PS-CIM/CHOA International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.

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