Abstract

This paper carried out experimental studies on the influence of vertical heterogeneity of reservoir on the steam drive effect after multiple-round steam stimulations. Taking the actual productive process of a heavy oil reservoir as an example, a physical model for the vertical heterogeneity was established. First, under the initial reservoir conditions, conduct multiple rounds of steam stimulations to obtain the initial reservoir conditions of steam drive, and then carry out physical simulation of steam drive, including the simulation of the horizontal reservoir and the tilted one. The development of temperature field and the oil-water output changes indicate that when the steam drive is conducted after the steam stimulations, the steam advances along the high permeability layer with better steam stimulation effect, once it gets a breakthrough, the swept volume will not change. For the tilted reservoir, due to the beneficial effects of the gravity drainage, its displacement effect is better than the horizontal one, which provides an important basis for the adjustment of layers and the section of methods of gas injection when the steam simulation is converted into steam drive.