The Performance of Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage Process - Parametric Investigation

Mariam Salloum, Meshal Algharaib and Abdullah Alajmi

Abstract

Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) process is an immiscible gas injection Improved Oil Recovery (IOR) technique that is designed to take advantage of gravity force that allow vertical segregation between injected gas and reservoir crude oil. This segregation is due to the density difference between oil and gas. The GAGD process uses vertical injection wells at the top of the reservoir, and horizontal production wells near the bottom of the pay zone. This method is preferable than the traditional gas injection process because it provides better sweep efficiency and utilizes the gravity force.

In this study, the effects of several reservoir/design parameters on the performance of GAGD process are investigated using numerical reservoir simulation means.  These factors include reservoir dimension, oil viscosity, reservoir permeability, and well coordination. The results show that the investigated parameters have various degrees of influence on the performance of GAGD process.