Understanding Toe-To-Heel Air Injection Process, Clues for Future In-Situ Combustion Technologies for Heavy Oil Recovery

One-Day Course

1. Essential information on current ISC commercial projects Challenges in Application of Conventional ISC process, SDOD processes, and New ISC processes
   • Current conventional ISC commercial operations: Bellevue (USA), Suplacu de Barcau (Romania), Balol and Shantal (India)
   • Challenges in application of conventional ISC process
   • Short-distance oil displacement (SDOD) concept
   • SDOD thermal processes; COSH, Top-down ISC and THAI/CAPRI processes
2. History of development of THAI and CAPRI processes
   • 3-D lab work of U of B investigating ISC in different configurations, including horizontal wells
   • Patenting of THAI
   • Systematic investigation of THAI; significant lab tests
   • Development of CAPRI
   • Systematic investigation of CAPRI
3. Basic mechanisms of THAI/CAPRI; general and combustion reaction mechanisms
   • Description of THAI; the three phases; communication, start up (ignition) and propagation of ISC front
   • The three main crucial mechanisms of THAI (SDOD, gravity stable and self – healing feature preventing air/O2 short circuit)
   • Differentiation of THAI chemistry from that of conventional ISC
   • Upgrading potential of THAI/unintentional in-situ upgrading in some field ISC projects
   • Description of CAPRI and its upgrading potential
4. Status of technology; some essential laboratory 3-D cell test results
   • Systematic investigation of THAI and CAPRI
   • Main conclusions from the systematic investigation of THAI and CAPRI
5. Status of technology; field testing results
   • Description of the Athabasca WhiteSands THAI pilot and of the conventional Heavy Oil Kerrobert (Saskatchewan Province, Canada) THAI Project (in the presence of bottom water
     - Communication and ignition phases
     - Main phase (TTH propagation)
     - Performance of the pilot/project; control of the process, peak temperature, burning characteristics, oil rate, upgrading and hydrogen production, etc.
     - Operational issues
     - Lessons learned
     
   • Discussion on possible applications of THAI process in other fields in Canada ; May River Project and Dawson Creek Project
   • Four THAI pilots outside Canada with emphasis on Fengcheng Pilot in Xingjiang Province, China
6. Pros and Cons of THAI application; screening criteria
   • Maturity of the THAI process; challenges/limitations
   • Pros & Cons
   • Screening criteria
   • Sweet spots for applications
7. Towards commercialization of THAI; possible improvements of the THAI process
   • Staggered line drive application
   • THAI grafted on a suspended or active ISC operation
   • THAI as a follow up process after SAGD and THAI conducted as a stand-alone process in a SAGD well configuration
   • Propagation of the ISC front on the last portion of the horizontal section (heel section)
   • Reduction of the gas injection rate, controlling wells just for gas production (partial) to some extent as in COSH, other possible solutions
   • Safety of operation; oxygen ingress in the horizontal producer
   • Excessive catalyst loading in CAPRI process

January 2018