Present state of heavy oil recovery With solvents
Well-known technology of solvent-based recovery of heavy (extra-viscous) oils and bitumens has a number of indisputable advantages. They include the possibility of development of thin oil reservoirs, reduced or zero water consumption, significant decrease in the capital and operating expenditures, and reduction of the overall power consumption up to 85%. The results of the current pilot projects show that this technology is competitive even in conditions of low oil prices. It was established that application of the composite solvent based on the light saturate hydrocarbons only leads to deposition of asphaltenes in the pore space. Various synthetic and natural amphiphilic substances behaving as inhibitors of asphaltene deposition process can be used in the composite solvent.