Pore-Scale Modelling of Solvent-Based Recovery Processes
A need for a reduction in energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions of bitumen and heavy oil recovery processes has led to the invention of several methods where mass-transfer-based recovery processes in terms of cold or heated solvent injection are used to reduce bitumen viscosity rather than s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/5/1405 |
| _version_ | 1797414794865672192 |
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| author | Bita Bayestehparvin S.M. Farouq Ali Mohammad Kariznovi Jalal Abedi |
| author_facet | Bita Bayestehparvin S.M. Farouq Ali Mohammad Kariznovi Jalal Abedi |
| author_sort | Bita Bayestehparvin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A need for a reduction in energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions of bitumen and heavy oil recovery processes has led to the invention of several methods where mass-transfer-based recovery processes in terms of cold or heated solvent injection are used to reduce bitumen viscosity rather than steam injection. Despite the extensive numerical and experimental investigations, the field results are not always aligned to what is predicted unless several history matches are done. These discrepancies can be explained by investigating the mechanisms involved in mass transfer and corresponding viscosity reduction at the pore level. A two-phase multicomponent pore-scale simulator is developed to be used for realistic porous media simulation. The simulator developed predicts the chamber front velocity and chamber propagation in agreement with 2D experimental data in the literature. The simulator is specifically used for vapor extraction (VAPEX) modelling in a 2D porous medium. It was found that the solvent cannot reach its equilibrium value everywhere in the oleic phase confirming the non-equilibrium phase behavior in VAPEX. The equilibrium assumption is found to be invalid for VAPEX processes even at a small scale. The model developed can be used for further investigation of mass transfer-based processes in porous media. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:40:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-63965b12a07f4d7a81c53d743a7b59f6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:40:05Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-63965b12a07f4d7a81c53d743a7b59f62023-12-03T12:26:09ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-03-01145140510.3390/en14051405Pore-Scale Modelling of Solvent-Based Recovery ProcessesBita Bayestehparvin0S.M. Farouq Ali1Mohammad Kariznovi2Jalal Abedi3Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CanadaDepartment of Petroleum Engineering, University of Houston, 5000 Gulf Freeway, Bld. 9, Houston, TX 77204, USADepartment of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CanadaDepartment of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, CanadaA need for a reduction in energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions of bitumen and heavy oil recovery processes has led to the invention of several methods where mass-transfer-based recovery processes in terms of cold or heated solvent injection are used to reduce bitumen viscosity rather than steam injection. Despite the extensive numerical and experimental investigations, the field results are not always aligned to what is predicted unless several history matches are done. These discrepancies can be explained by investigating the mechanisms involved in mass transfer and corresponding viscosity reduction at the pore level. A two-phase multicomponent pore-scale simulator is developed to be used for realistic porous media simulation. The simulator developed predicts the chamber front velocity and chamber propagation in agreement with 2D experimental data in the literature. The simulator is specifically used for vapor extraction (VAPEX) modelling in a 2D porous medium. It was found that the solvent cannot reach its equilibrium value everywhere in the oleic phase confirming the non-equilibrium phase behavior in VAPEX. The equilibrium assumption is found to be invalid for VAPEX processes even at a small scale. The model developed can be used for further investigation of mass transfer-based processes in porous media.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/5/1405solvent-based recovery processesnon-equilibrium phase behaviorpore-scale simulationVAPEX |
| spellingShingle | Bita Bayestehparvin S.M. Farouq Ali Mohammad Kariznovi Jalal Abedi Pore-Scale Modelling of Solvent-Based Recovery Processes Energies solvent-based recovery processes non-equilibrium phase behavior pore-scale simulation VAPEX |
| title | Pore-Scale Modelling of Solvent-Based Recovery Processes |
| title_full | Pore-Scale Modelling of Solvent-Based Recovery Processes |
| title_fullStr | Pore-Scale Modelling of Solvent-Based Recovery Processes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pore-Scale Modelling of Solvent-Based Recovery Processes |
| title_short | Pore-Scale Modelling of Solvent-Based Recovery Processes |
| title_sort | pore scale modelling of solvent based recovery processes |
| topic | solvent-based recovery processes non-equilibrium phase behavior pore-scale simulation VAPEX |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/5/1405 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bitabayestehparvin porescalemodellingofsolventbasedrecoveryprocesses AT smfarouqali porescalemodellingofsolventbasedrecoveryprocesses AT mohammadkariznovi porescalemodellingofsolventbasedrecoveryprocesses AT jalalabedi porescalemodellingofsolventbasedrecoveryprocesses |