Screening Criteria for the Application of Steam Injection and Horizontal Wells

Technical and economic problems of eflicient development of heavy oil resources receive large attention in all countries where these resources are abundant. This is particularly the case in Canada and Venezuela where some 70 per cent of the world reserves of heavy oil are located. World-wide experience to-date indicates that thermal methods, such as steam flood, in-situ combustion and steam-gas injection, are the only effective methods available for the in-situ recovery of the extensive heavy oil resources. In this respect, the emergence of horizontal drilling technology, as well as the slim hole technique, has opened up new perspectives. In the last few years, progress in drilling and completion of horizontal weils have brought this new production tool to a high level of achievement for a wide range of applications. This paper concentrates on the synergism of thermal methods with less conventional well