Laboratory investigation of air injection in kerogen-bearing rocks. Part 2. Evaluation of organic matter conversion

UDK: 622.276.41
DOI: 10.24887/0028-2448-2020-10-59-61
Key words: kerogen-bearing rocks, combustion tube, air injection, combustion front, synthetic oil
Authors: T.M. Bondarenko (LUKOIL-Engineering LLC, RF, Moscow), D.A. Mett (LUKOIL-Engineering LLC, RF, Moscow), V.D. Nemova (LUKOIL-Engineering LLC, RF, Moscow), G.A. Usachev (LUKOIL-Engineering LLC, RF, Moscow), A.N. Cheremisin (Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, RF, Moscow), M.Yu. Spasennykh (Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, RF, Moscow)

High-pressure combustion tube test was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of air injection in terms of hydrocarbons generation fr om kerogen bearing rocks and to compare combustion front quenching techniques. The test consisted of several stages including air injection, stop of air injection, reigniting and quenching of combustion front with nitrogen. Pyrolysis study of core samples unpacked from combustion tube indicated to complete conversion of resins, asphaltenes and kerogen behind the combustion front. As you move away from the combustion front, the amount of converted organic matter decreases. According to the results of extraction of the unpacked crushed core samples located in front of the combustion front, the bank of synthetic oil is observed, which did not reach the combustion tube exit at the time of air injection shut down. The coefficient of displacement and generation of hydrocarbons by the time of stopping the combustion front in the middle of the core model was 26.6%wt, wh ere 15.6%wt accounted for hydrocarbon gases and 11%wt for oil. There is a significant gasification of kerogen. At the time of the front shutdown, the percentage of hydrocarbons generated from kerogen was 28.6%, which indicates the efficiency of the process in terms of hydrocarbon generation. However, the results indirectly indicate a significant generation of synthetic hydrocarbon gases, which must be monitored in the field during the initial stage of air injection.

References

1. Bondarenko T.M., Mett D.A., Nemova V.D. et al., Laboratory investigation of air injection in kerogen-bearing rocks. Part 1: Development of combustion front control methods (In Russ.), Neftyanoe khozyaystvo = Oil Industry, 2020, no. 6, pp. 46–50.

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