Uses of Phase Diagrams in Solvent Flooding

Pseudoternary Graphs

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Uses or Phase Diagrams in Solvent Flooding

How does solvent flooding work ?
Highlights
General overview of solvent methods. Mechanisms of oil displacement using Phase Diagrams Hydrocarbon miscible displacement First Contact Miscible process, Condensing-Gas process,

Vaporizing-Gas process.

Minimum miscibility pressure (MMP).

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Introduction to Solvent Flooding

Solvents are injected in the reservoir to displace oil
Solvent injection can result in Miscible Displacement (1-phase) Immiscible Displacement (2- phases)

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Potential Solvents
The number and type of potential solvents is very large. Typical solvents are, Gas: nitrogen, flue gas, methane, carbon dioxide liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), organic alcohols
4

Liquid solvents:

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Solvent Flooding Fundamentals

Primary means for recovering oil is through mass transfer or extraction. Several modes of injecting the solvent into the reservoir (Continuous or pattern flooding, WAG, etc)

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Phase Envelope and Tie Lines

C1
.1 .9 .8 .7

Gas
.3

.2

Mixture
.4 .5

.6 .5

.6 .7

CP

.4 .3

Liquid
.8
.9

.2
.1

C10
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1
0
.1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9

0 1 n-C4
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Whats Miscible & Immiscible?

Light
.1 .2

S2 G2

.9 .8 .7

.3
.4 .5

.6
.5
.4

.6
.7 .8
.9

M2
.3

L2
Oil M1
.4 .5 .6 .7 .8

S1

.2
.1

Heavy
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1 0
.1 .2

.3

.9

0 1

Intermediate

Effect of Pressure on Miscibility

C1 C1 C1 C1 Gas 2-phase Liquid nC5 p=200 psia

2-phase
Liquid nC5 p=380 psia

2-phase Liquid C3 nC5

nC5

p=14.7 psia

C3

C3

p=500 psia

C3

C1

C1

C1

C1

2-phase 2-phase 2-phase Liquid Liquid nC5 p=1040 psia C3 nC5 Liquid p=1500 psia C3 nC5 p=2000 psia C3 Liquid

nC5

p=2350 psia

C3

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First Contact Miscible Recovery Processes (FCM)

C1
.1 .2 .9 .8 .7

.3
.4 .5

.6 .5

.6 .7 .8
.9

CP

.4 A .3

.2

O
.1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9

.1

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C 7+ 0

0 2-C 6 1C
9

Developed or Dynamic Miscibility

Light
.1 .2 .9

Solvent 1
.8

1-Vaporizing Gas Drive Process 2-Condensing Gas Drive Process

.3
.4 .5

.7

.6 .5
.4

.6 .7 .8
.9

Solvent 2
.3

.2

Oil 2
.1 .2 .3 .4

Heavy
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1 0

Oil 1 Critical Tie Line

.5 .6 .7 .8 .9

.1

0 1

Intermediate
10

Miscible Gas Injection

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Vaporizing Gas Drive Miscibility Mechanism

C1
.1 I n j e c t io n G as .9 .8

M1
.2

G1

G2
M2
.4

.3

.7

.6

G3
.5
.4 .3

M3
.6
.7 .8
.9

.5

G4

M4

.2
.1

O
.1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9

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C7+ 0

0 1

C2-C6

12

Injection Gas
.1 .9 .8 .7

G1

(P,T)

M1 M2 M3 M4
.6 .7 .8
.9 .5 .4

.2

G2
G3
.6 .5

.3

G4 G5
.4 .3

.2
.1

1 0
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Oil
.1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9

0 1
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Vaporizing Gas Drive Process

As long as the reservoir oil composition lies on, or to the right of, the limiting tie line, miscibility with a gas that has a composition lying to the left of the limiting tie line can be achieved by the vaporizing gas drive process.
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Additional Materials
PETE 609 (Enhanced Oil Recovery Methods) Graduate class in Petroleum Engineering Texas A&M University

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