An analytical model to estimate the time delay to reach spontaneous ignition considering heat loss in oil reservoirs

During air injection into an oil reservoir, an oxidation reaction generates some heat to raise the reservoir temperature. When the reservoir temperature reaches an ignition temperature, spontaneous ignition occurs. There is a time delay from the injection to ignition. There are mixed results regarding the feasibility of spontaneous ignition in real-field projects and in laboratory experiments. No analytical model is available in the literature to estimate the oxidation time required to reach spontaneous ignition with heat loss.

This paper discusses the feasibility of spontaneous ignition from theoretical points and experimental and field project observations. An analytical model considering heat loss is proposed. Analytical models with and without heat loss investigate the factors that affect spontaneous ignition. Based on the discussion and investigations, we find that it is more difficult for spontaneous ignition to occur in laboratory experiments than in oil reservoirs; spontaneous ignition is strongly affected by the initial reservoir temperature, oil activity, and heat loss; spontaneous ignition is only possible when the initial reservoir temperature is high, the oil oxidation rate is high, and the heat loss is low.