Experimental study of thermal effects on rock properties in one of the super-viscouse oil fields of the Timan-Pechora oil and gas province

Relevance. Thermal methods of reservoir stimulation, such as hot water and steam injection, are widely used in the development of super-viscouse oil and bitumen oil fields. The use of these methods can be complicated by the presence of impermeable formations represented by mudstones, siltstones and silty sandstones, which reduce the efficiency of stimulation. This effect is especially pronounced in fields where steam-assisted gravity drainage technology and various modifications of this technology are used. Low-permeability interlayers, having different location and orientation in the reservoir, shield the vapor chamber advancement and lead to its deformation, which creates additional uncertainties in forecasting the development performance. In addition, high temperatures created during the injection of the heat carrier into the reservoir can have a significant effect on the lithological, petrophysical and mechanical properties of rocks, contributing to the development of microfractures due to the expansion of rock minerals, changes in the chemical composition and filtration-capacitive properties. These changes can cause more intense heat distribution in the formation, increase the coverage of the deposit by thermal action, which ultimately allows for more accurate forecasting of development indicators. Aim. Laboratory studies to investigate temperature effect on the filtration-capacitive properties of rocks in one of the super-viscous oil fields of the Timan-Pechora oil and gas province, developed using the steam-assisted gravity drainage technology. Methods. Experimental methods of study. Results and conclusions. As the studies have shown, thermal effect in the conditions of this object has a noticeable impact on the change of filtration-capacitance properties of both low-permeable and high-permeable rock samples, which can affect the efficiency of the steam-assisted gravity drainage. For citation: Skvortsov A.S., Dementieva K.V., Putilov I.S. Experimental study of thermal effects on rock properties in one of the super-viscouse oil fields of the Timan-Pechora oil and gas province. Bulletin of the Tomsk Polyethnic University. Geo Assets Engineering, 2026, vol. 337, no. 7, pp. xx–xx. https://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/7/5279