Two historical developments suggested the SAGD optimization process proposed in this paper.
First: From 1979 to 1984, BP Canada tested air injection as a follow-up process to fracture-assisted cyclic steam stimulation in the Clearwater formation at Wolf Lake2. It was expected that only 17% of the bitumen could be recovered using CSS(cyclic-steamstimulation) and that combustion as a follow-up process would increase the recovery factor. Bitumen recovery factor at the pilot increased from 15% with CSS to a cumulative of almost 30% with in-situ combustion. The equivalent SOR was reduced from approximately 6.2 to 2.3. It should be noted that air injection was successful in this application because the bitumen was first preheated and mobilized with steam.
Second: During SAGD operations, there comes a point where the cumulative SOR begins to increase indicating that it is no longer economic to continue steam injection. Injecting a non-condensable gas at this stage, to utilize the existing heat energy in place, can prolong oil production. This significantly reduces the operating costs compared to continued steam injection.