New scaling criteria for in-situ combustion experiments

• Published in: Journal of petroleum science & engineering 1992, Vol.6 (4), p.367-379
• Main Authors: Islam, M.R., Farouq Ali, S.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products; Crude oil, natural gas, oil shales producing equipements and methods; Energy; Enhanced oil recovery methods; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Prospecting and production of crude oil, natural gas, oil shales and tar sands
• ISSN: 0920-4105; 1873-4715
• DOI: 10.1016/0920-4105(92)90063-7

In-situ combustion and its modified forms (see Donaldson et al., 1989, p. 401) continue to be an important oil recovery process. The applicability of in-situ combustion to a wide range of reservoirs, and the recent advantages, show that this process has unique advantages (and disadvantages). Laboratory studies of in-situ combustion are hampered by the lack of suitable scaling criteria for the design of experiments. Apart from that, the experiments are usually labor-intensive and costly. This paper provides useful guidelines for the design of such experiments, and also discusses the laboratory methods currently used. The general problem of in-situ combustion in three-dimensional systems is formulated, with attention to reaction kinetics and non-equilibrium phenomena. Appropriate boundary conditions, both for field and laboratory, are stated. Next, the partial differential equations are used to derive a set of scaling criteria. A number of alternative schemes are considered in this regard. Suggestions are offered concerning the use of various options for experimental design. The scaling criteria derived are used to examine the validity of results derived from “fire tube tests”, which are widely used to obtain basic information on the combustion behavior of crude oils. It is shown that among the parameters measured in such experiments, only a few have validity. Results of laboratory fire tube tests of wet combustion can be misleading.