Experimental study of SAGD in a near 2D reservoir embedded in a massive metallic block

In this work, the steam injection process under a steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) configuration is experimentally investigated through tests conducted in a nearly two‐dimensional (2D) cell, where reservoir conditions are reproduced: a porous medium saturated with extra‐heavy crude oil, near‐ambient temperature, and controlled steam injection. The experimental setup replicates the dual‐well configuration (upper injection and lower production) commonly used in theoretical models, featuring the formation of a symmetric steam chamber in the plane normal to both wells. Experiments were carried out at different injected steam mass flow rates to characterize how it relates to condensate recovery rates. The results show the formation of a steam chamber governed by condensation and gravity effects and demonstrate the existence of an optimal steam injection rate that maximizes the recovery of extra‐heavy crude oil (10° API). These findings provide relevant experimental insights for the operational optimization of SAGD processes in heavy and extra‐heavy oil reservoirs.