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Changes associated with field-scale demonstration in a steam-stimulated crude oil from the lagunillas oilfield (Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela)

Abstract:

Cyclic steam injection with alkali is currently very commonly used to improve heavy-crude oil production in Venezuela. This work is an analysis of oil-associated water and crude samples from LL-2670 well in the Lagunillas oilfield at Lake Maracaibo (northwestern Venezuela). The aim of this research is to analyze the organic acids thus generated and evaluate chemistry changes in the saturated and aromatic fractions of crude oil during the first cycle of steam stimulation by cyclic injection with alkali. It was noted that the percentages of sulfur and saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes (SARA) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity varied little in the analyzed crude. In contrast, there were significant variations in the biomarker distribution, particularly in the mono- and triaromatic steranes, benzothiophenes, phenanthrenes, and alkyl-naphthalenes of the crude. Copyright © 2010 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.