A comparative study on the measures determining optimal SAGD locations based on geostatistical and multiphysics simulations

In this study, two viable measures of mean length and cumulative thickness of sand layers as important spatial statistics responsible for optimal SAGD (Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage) location for oil sand development were compared. For the comparisons, various deposits composed of sand and clay media were realized using a geostatistical simulator and the extent of steam chamber is simulated using multiphysics numerical simulator (dualphase flow and heat transfer). Based on the spatial statistics of each realization and the corresponding size of simulated steam chamber, the representativeness of two candidate measures (cumulative thickness and mean length of permeable media) were compared. The results of the geostatistical and SAGD simulations suggest that the mean length of permeable media is better correlated to the size of steam chamber than the cumulative thickness. Given those two-dimensional results, it is concluded that the cumulative thickness of the permeable media alone may not be a sufficient criterion for determining an optimal SAGD location and the mean length needs to be complementarily considered for the sound selections.