Numerical simulation of forward combustion in a radial system

A generalized mathematical model is described for the thermal recovery of oil in a radial system in which there are conductive heat losses to the surrounding formations, three phase fluid flow, conductive-convective heat transfer within the producing formation, combustion, and aqueous-phase changes considered. The mathematical form of the temperature equation requires that numerical solutions be obtained with a digital computer for which the numerical approximations of the partial differential equations are presented and the results discussed. The analysis is applied to field size simulations of a forward combustion project to permit direct field analyses of significant importance for accurate reproductions of past field performances. The results of the simulation defines the principal thermal and hydrodynamic characteristics of this process and discusses the appearance of a heretofore unreported pressure anomaly at the combustion front during the combustion process --Abstract, page ii