Experimental Investigation of RF Heating Characteristics in Heavy Oil Reservoir Rocks from the Xinjiang Oilfield, China

Radio frequency (RF) heating has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional steam thermal recovery methods in the Xinjiang Oilfield, primarily owing to its unique advantages in volumetric heating efficiency and long-range electromagnetic energy propagation. The RF heating process involves the interaction between RF electromagnetic waves and heavy oil reservoir rocks, making the frequency of RF waves and the properties of heavy oil cores critical factors influencing temperature distribution and heating distance. This study investigates the law of temperature changes over time and frequency and examines the effects of frequency and temperature on the electro-thermal characteristics of heavy oil cores. The results show that RF heating effectively increases core temperature, with minimal impact from frequency variations within the 900-930 MHz range. As frequency increases, the relative permittivity of the cores decreases. In addition, the electrical conductivity increases with temperature, while thermal diffusivity decreases as temperature rises. These findings provide crucial guidance for optimizing RF heating strategies, improving heavy oil recovery efficiency, and enhancing field applications in heavy oil reservoirs of Xinjiang Oilfield.