Info!
The EI library in London is temporarily closed, as a precautionary measure in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The Knowledge Service will still be answering email queries via info@energyinst.org, and is available for live chats on this page during working hours (09:15-17:00 GMT). Our e-library is always open for members here: https://knowledge.energyinst.org/services/elibrary, for full-text access to over 200 e-books and millions of articles. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

Heavy oil and bitumen---not glamorous but often profitable. K.A. Millar. J. Can. Petrol. Technol., April 1994, 33(4), 13--15.

/ 1995
The formation mechanism for heavy oil and bitumen resources in western Canada is described and illustrated. Very large reserves are available and production methods are reviewed. Introduction of horizontal wells and the installation of progressive cavity pumps improve the economics of cold production. Thermal methods for heavy oil production include in situ combustion techniques but these generally give poor field results and the basic theory is being further considered. Cyclic steam injection processes show greater promise but injection rates, pressures, and operational procedures vary for each reservoir. Techniques such as cogeneration, wellbore insulation, sweep improving foams, and numerical simulation are also available. 18 refs.

Abstract details

Please login to save this item