Courses

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.

Oil producers involved in heavy-oil recovery face special production challenges. However, innovative drilling, completion, stimulation and monitoring techniques help make heavy-oil reservoirs profitable assets.

In this introductory course, participants will be exposed to the challenges in heavy-oil exploitation. They will be introduced to applications of various key technologies and their appropriate interpretations. Along with systematic workflows and field examples, participants will learn ways to reduce the lifting cost and make heavy-oil more economically viable assets.