*Article* **Numerical Simulation Study of Heavy Oil Production by Using In-Situ Combustion**

**Zhao Yang 1,\*, Shuang Han 1 and Hongji Liu 2**


Received: 17 July 2019; Accepted: 27 August 2019; Published: 14 September 2019

**Abstract:** An in-situ combustion method is an e ffective method to enhance oil recovery with high economic recovery rate, low risk, fast promotion and application speed. Currently, in-situ combustion technique is regarded as the last feasible thermal recovery technology to replace steam injection in the exploitation of bitumen sands and heavy oil reservoirs. However, the oil-discharging mechanism during the in-situ combustion process is still not clearly understood. In this paper, the in-situ combustion process has been numerically simulated based on the Du 66 block. The e ffect of production parameters (hu ff and pu ff rounds, air injection speed, and air injection temperature) and geological parameters (bottom water thickness, stratigraphic layering, permeability ratio, and formation thickness) on the heavy oil recovery have been comprehensively analyzed. Results show that the flooding e fficiency is positively correlated with the thickness of the bottom water, and negatively correlated with the formation heterogeneity. There exist optimum values for the oil layer thickness, hu ff and pu ff rounds, and air injection speed. And the e ffect of air injection temperature is not significant. The results of this paper can contribute to the understanding of mechanisms during in-situ combustion and the better production design for heavy oil reservoirs.

**Keywords:** heavy oil reservoir; in-situ combustion; oil recovery; numerical simulation
