Prospects for developing the hydrocarbon potential of deposits of heavy high-viscosity oil, petroleum bitumen, residual oil and falling condensate in the subsoils of Ukraine

The hydrocarbon potential of heavy high-viscosity oil and natural bitumens (malthas, asphalts, asphaltites) remains practically unexplored and uncertain. At the same time, oil and gas promising areas make up more than 80 % of the territory of Ukraine. Also, an important source of hydrocarbons is non-extractable reserves of residual oil and retrograde gas condensate. Based on this, the purpose of the work was to substantiate the technologies of their development. The objects of the research are the geological conditions of occurrence of heavy high-viscosity oils and petroleum bitumens in Ukraine and promising technologies for their development. On the basis of an in-depth analysis of the features of the formation, occurrence and distribution of deposits of heavy high-viscosity oil and petroleum bitumen, as well as an analysis of the existing methods of their extraction, the work solved the problem of choosing the most effective development technologies for the deposits of Ukraine. Since, according to the results of the analysis, deposits of heavy high-viscosity oil and petroleum bitumen were discovered in Ukraine in the intervals of occurrence of 800–1500 m and 200–500 m (shallow-lying deposits in the composition of sandy sediments), it was proposed for these intervals that the most effective is, respectively, the technology of cyclic steam stimulation in combination with catalytic aquathermolysis. Currently, deposits of high-viscosity oils and natural bitumen are not developed in Ukraine, and, moreover, level of geological study of their resources is extremely low. Therefore, pilot projects of their development are proposed to be implemented in already developed oil fields. The choice of these technologies is justified as follows: 1) the technology of cyclic steam stimulation in combination with catalytic aquathermolysis is expedient to implement on already developed deposits where production is carried out, though the extraction rate of heavy oil is low (with minimal investment and maximum profitability); 2) in view of the accumulated experience in the development of bituminous sand deposits (Alberta, Canada) and having in Ukraine a number of promising deposits similar in depth and type of bedding, it is possible to implement steam gravity drainage technology or its modifications. Keywords: heavy high-viscosity oil, petroleum bitumen, production technologies, cyclic steam stimulation, well hydraulic production, catalytic aquathermolysis.