Lanxiao Hu

Current position: Assistant Professor, Chengdu University of Technology

PhD (2018)

Co-advisor: Dr. H. Li

Thesis: "Combined Electromagnetic Heating and Solvent Injection for Heavy Oil Recovery"

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Solvent/thermal hybrid methods have been proposed to enhance heavy oil recovery and overcome the shortcomings of conventional methods such as SAGD and VAPEX. Recently, the combination of solvent and gas injection with electromagnetic heating was proposed by others. Based on these observations, we propose a method that combined electromagnetic heating and solvent-assisted gravity drainage for heavy oil recovery. Combined EM heating and solvent injection has advantages, including increased oil recovery rate, reduced carbon dioxide emission, and suitability for steam-hostile reservoirs. The heating and recovery efficiencies of this method will be investigated experimentally, analytically and numerically.

A small scale of microwave oven experiments has been built to study this hybrid process. Influential factors of initial water saturation, solvent types (n-hexane and n-octane), introduction methods of solvents (injection or premixed with oil), combination strategies of solvent injection and EM heating (simultaneous or alternate means), and EM heating power have been studied. We observed that alternate EM heating and solvent injection could reduce the energy consumption of this process and achieve high recovery factor because of reduced heating time and better solubility of solvent. We are currently developing an analytical model which could reduce the computational cost and capture the major mechanisms of this hybrid process and then optimize the EM heating parameters, solvent strategy and combing ways. 
 

Publications:

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1. Hu, L., Li, H., Babadagli, T. and Ahmadloo, M.: “Experimental Investigation of Combined Electromagnetic Heating and Solvent Assisted Gravity Drainage for Heavy Oil Recovery,” SPE 180747, 2016 SPE Heavy Oil Tech. Conf., Calgary, AB, Canada, 7-9, June.

2. Hu, L., Li, H., Babadagli, T. and Ahmadloo, M.: “A New Semi-Analytical Model for Simulating Combined Electromagnetic Heating and Solvent Assisted Gravity Drainage,” 2016 World Heavy Oil Conference, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 6-9 Sept.

3. Hu, L., Li, H., Babadagli, T.: “Property Changes of Formation Rocks under Microwave Heating: An Experimental Study,” 2017 SPE Thermal Well Integrity and Design Symp., Banff, Alberta, Canada, 28-30 Nov.

4. Hu, L., Li, H., Babadagli, T. and Ahmadloo, M.: “Experimental Investigation of Combined Electromagnetic Heating and Solvent Assisted Gravity Drainage for Heavy Oil Recovery,” J. Petr. Sci. and Eng., vol. 154, 589-601, 2017.

5. Hu, L., Li, H., Babadagli, T.: “Property Changes of Formation Rocks under Electromagnetic Heating: An Experimental Study,” SPE 191238, 2018 SPE Trinidad and Tobago Section Energy Resources Conf., Trinidad and Tobago, 25-26 June.