Heavy oil is highly viscous, and hence, does not flow easily. The characteristic features of heavy oil are low API gravity (less than 25 API) and high viscosity (> 10s of cP), low hydrogen-to-carbon ratios, small percentages of volatile and easily distillable hydrocarbons, high content of asphaltenes and significant quantities of oxygen-, nitrogen-, and sulfur-bearing compounds, and heavy metals are also frequently minor components of these oils.

1.      Introduction

2.      Conventional oils & their future

3.      The nature of heavy oil

4.      Global heavy oil development (onshore and offshore)

5.      Industry trends & challenges

6.      Overview of heavy oil geology

7.      Heavy oil sampling

8.      Heavy oil phase behavior and laboratory measurements methodologies

9.      Heavy oil workflows

10.   Recovery processes overview

11.   The primary recovery processes - Horizontal and Multi Lateral Wells and Cold Heavy Oil Production with Sand (CHOPS)

12.   The non thermal recovery processes - Waterflood, Chemical Flood and Vapor Extraction (VAPEX)

13.   Thermal recovery processes - Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS), Steam Flood, Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD), Fire Flood/In Situ Combustion

14.   Newly developed recovery processes - Toe to Heel Air Injection (THAI), THAI with solid catalyst (CAPRI), Steam Solvent Based Hybrid processes

15.   Field examples

16.   Heavy oil production, completion overview

17.   Lifting methods - Gas Lift, Sucker Rod Pumps, Progressive Cavity Pumps (PCP) and Top Drive PCPs, Hydraulic Pumps, Electrical Submersible Pumps (ESP), High Temperature ESP (Red Hot Pumps).

18.   Well completions 

19.   Sand management strategy and sand control techniques

20.   Field Examples

21.   Basic heavy oil production and processing schemes

22.   Emulsion control and treatment

23.   Facilities design and operations for heavy oil processing

24.   Onshore and offshore heavy oil loading systems

25.   Heavy oil transportation and storage options

26.   Flow assurance in heavy oil production and transportation

·        This introductory course on heavy oil exploitation is designed to benefit multidisciplinary asset teams including geologist, geophysicist, reservoir, drilling, production, completion and facilities engineers. This course will also benefit all managers and department heads.