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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: DT/E006159/1
Title: Enhanced Viscosity Prediction for Improved Development of Heavy Oil Fields
Principal Investigator: Maitland, Professor GC
Other Investigators:
Jackson, Professor G Vesovic, Dr V Trusler, Professor JPM
Blunt, Professor MJ
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Schlumberger Shell
Department: Chemical Engineering
Organisation: Imperial College London
Scheme: Technology Programme
Starts: 01 October 2006 Ends: 30 September 2009 Value (£): 560,036
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Oil & Gas Extraction
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The project addresses a key issue for the cost-effective recovery of heavy oils: the need for accurate, robust predictive models for the viscosity of field crudes and how this changes with operational conditions. A partnership between Schlumberger Cambridge Research, Shell Exploration and Production and Imperial College London aims (i) to produce a novel molecular-based model, validated on both model hydrocarbon mixtures and UKCS heavy crudes, capable of predicting viscosity as a function of temperature, pressure, oil and diluent composition; (ii) to incorporate the model into a compositional reservoir simulator; (iii) to use this extended simulator to develop model-based strategies to explore, design and optimise new or improved existing processes for heavy oil production with specific emphasis on the UKCS. The project aims to have a significant impact on the effectiveness of recovering the more than 7.5 billion bbls of UKCS proven heavy oil reserves.
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Organisation Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk