ABSTRACT This paper describes the uses of the Box–Behnken experimental design to optimize the factors affecting the production performance in steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) operation, Peace River oil sands. The response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to search for the best designs in contour plots and response surface map. A total of 41 cases were run to optimize the parameters of operating conditions and the net present value (NPV) responses during 10 years of the simulation period. To maximize the net present value, the optimal conditions should operate at a well pattern spacing (WPS) of 78 m, a steam injection rate of 550 m3/d, an injector producer spacing (IPS) of 14 m, injection a pressure (IP) of 6,350 kPa, and a subcool of 5°C. Simulation results showed that cumulative oil for the Fast-SAGD process does not significantly increase and even NPV is the lowest among the mentioned SAGD cases. The difference of 10 kPa between steam IP and reservoir pressure is not sufficient to increase the NPV for both Fast-SAGD and SAGD operations.
[1]
T. J. Cyr,et al.
Fast-SAGD: Half the Wells and 30% Less Steam
,
2000
.
[2]
H. Shin,et al.
Review of Reservoir Parameters to Optimize SAGD and Fast-SAGD Operating Conditions
,
2004
.
[3]
Hyundon Shin,et al.
New Economic Indicator to Evaluate SAGD Performance
,
2005
.
[4]
Zhangxin Chen,et al.
Numerical Simulation and Optimization of SAGD Process in Surmont Oil Sands Lease
,
2010
.
[5]
R. Chalaturnyk,et al.
Fast SAGD and Geomechanical Mechanisms
,
2002
.
[6]
Douglas C. Montgomery,et al.
Response Surface Methodology: Process and Product Optimization Using Designed Experiments
,
1995
.