Variable Rate Steaming
Thermal EOR increases oil production by using steam to simultaneously heat the oil and increase subsurface pressure, facilitating movement towards producer wells. Research conducted by Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and Shell show that oil production is not affected by daily variations in steaming. By injecting more steam during the day and less at night, it is possible to increase the solar fraction to 80%.
The PDO and Shell simulation on the effects of daily and seasonal variation in steaming rates concluded:
"The oil recovered from solar generated steam injection and that from constant-rate steam injection are essentially the same."
You can download the full paper.
PDO Technology Advisor Syham Bentouati discussed the findings of
the PDO and Shell simulation at GlassPoint's 21Z Project commissioning.