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The ultimate objective of the process is to produce oil by reducing its viscosity in order to increase the gravity drainage rate. Vapor extraction is considered advantageous in some reservoirs, which are not amenable to thermal recovery methods. This advantage comes from the absence of issues like heat loss to overburden rock in thermal recovery methods. However, the oil production in this process is slow compared to thermal recovery, due to its reliance on mass transfer by solvent diffusion which is much slower than heat transfer by conduction and convection.
The ultimate objective of the process is to produce oil by reducing its viscosity in order to increase the gravity drainage rate. Vapor extraction is considered advantageous in some reservoirs, which are not amenable to thermal recovery methods. This advantage comes from the absence of issues like heat loss to overburden rock in thermal recovery methods. However, the oil production in this process is slow compared to thermal recovery, due to its reliance on mass transfer by solvent diffusion which is much slower than heat transfer by conduction and convection.
[[File:Schematic illustration of vapex or hot-water process.png|none|frame|Schematic illustration of vapex or hot-water process]]
[[File:Schematic illustration of vapex or hot-water process.png|none|Schematic illustration of vapex or hot-water process|alt=|thumb]]





Revision as of 16:26, 1 April 2021

Vapor extraction, also called Vapex, is the process of recovering heavy oil and bitumen from the reservoir utilizing vaporized solvents[1]. Vaporized solvents are injected mostly through horizontal wells. After injection, the solvent vapors dissolve into the high viscosity oil at the gas/oil interface and diffuse into the interior of the oil zone, which reduces the oil viscosity and promotes the gravity drainage of oil towards a production well, often located a short distance below the injection well.

Vapor injection

The ultimate objective of the process is to produce oil by reducing its viscosity in order to increase the gravity drainage rate. Vapor extraction is considered advantageous in some reservoirs, which are not amenable to thermal recovery methods. This advantage comes from the absence of issues like heat loss to overburden rock in thermal recovery methods. However, the oil production in this process is slow compared to thermal recovery, due to its reliance on mass transfer by solvent diffusion which is much slower than heat transfer by conduction and convection.

Schematic illustration of vapex or hot-water process








References

  1. S.R. Upreti at al. (2007) Vapor Extraction of Heavy Oil and Bitumen: Review. Energy & Fuels, 21, 1562-1574