Development of a predictive model for the VAPEX process.
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Date
2019-01-11
Authors
Lowman, James
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Waterloo
Abstract
Heavy oil in-situ recovery in Canada is largely achieved through energy intensive and en-
vironmentally detrimental steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD). By exchanging steam
for a vapour solvent, it has been shown experimentally that heavy oil recovery can be
achieved with a significant reduction in both energy requirements and environmental im-
pact. This project presents a model for predicting production rates for the vapour ex-
traction (VAPEX) process developed using first principles. The governing equations are
solved using the pseudo-spectral Chebyshev collocation method. Simulations replicating
experimental results,a detailed derivation of the model, a discussion of model parameters,
and numerical analysis of the solution are presented in this thesis.
Description
Keywords
VAPEX, porous media, simulation, spectral, Chebyshev, interphase mass transfer, dispersion, hydrodynamic, bitumen, butane, simulation, tar sands