Capstone: A Heavy-Oil Reservoir

A Viscosity Problem

A heavy-oil field is a recovery decision dominated by viscosity. Cold, the oil barely moves and primary recovery is a few percent. The decision is whether to inject steam.

Steam Unlocks the Oil

Steam collapses the viscosity and can lift recovery several fold. The heavier the oil, the bigger the prize from heating, because its cold viscosity is so much worse. This is the thermal physics of the previous chapter applied to a real decision.

The Incremental Has to Pay

The incremental recovery from steam, weighed against the cost of generating it, is the whole project. Steam is expensive; only the uplift over cold production justifies it.