Comparative Analysis of the Efficiency of SAGD and CSS Thermal Methods Based on Mathematical Calculations

The production of heavy oil reserves has become increasingly important in recent years, as conventional oil sources become scarcer. However, extracting heavy oil is hindered by its high viscosity. One technique that has proven to be effective for heavy oil recovery is Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD). SAGD is a thermal recovery method that facilitates oil. In this article, we examine the main advantages of SAGD over other production methods, including higher RF, higher heating efficiency, higher production rate, lower steam-oil ratio, higher energy return on investment, better reservoir pressure maintenance, and lower environmental impact. Quantitatively, our calculations indicate that SAGD achieved a recovery factor of 39% versus 31% for CSS, with a steam–oil ratio of 2.56 versus 5.40 and an energy return on investment of 0.39 versus 0.20, respectively. Overall, these results demonstrate that SAGD outperforms CSS in recovery efficiency, energy utilisation, and environmental performance.