SAGD Process Monitoring in Heavy Oil Reservoir Using UWB Radar Techniques

In this paper, practical considerations for steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) monitoring using ultra-wideband (UWB) radar are studied. The SAGD process and important factors to monitor its performance are discussed. Several experiments are conducted to evaluate the possibility of using UWB radar for SAGD process monitoring. All the experiments are carried out on a simplified laboratory prototype, which is a plateau of wet sand covered by dry sand to mimic the steamed area of the reservoir. The effect of the metal pipe on the pulse shape and propagation inside the reservoir is also experimentally studied. Additionally, a miniaturized Vivaldi antenna capable of radiating within oil-sand is designed, fabricated, and verified as a sensor for the radar monitoring system. Power budget and heterogeneity analysis of the heavy reservoir for different grades of Athabasca oil-sands are also studied. Results demonstrate the possibility of using UWB radar to detect and image the contour of the steamed area in the SAGD process. The information collected by the UWB radar can be used for optimizing steam injection to improve the usage of water and energy.