GeoTriax: A geotechnical triaxial centrifuge cell for coupled geomechanical-flow studies

Cold heavy oil production with sand (CHOPS) is a primary oil recovery method that extracts heavy oil together with large volumes of sand. However, CHOPS typically results in low recovery efficiency, requiring enhanced oil recovery techniques, such as cyclic solvent injection (CSI), to access remaining reserves during the post-CHOPS phase. Effective CSI, particularly using solvents such as carbon dioxide, requires improved understanding of the interactions between gas behaviour, fluid flow, reservoir deformation, and borehole stability. Centrifuge physical modelling can support investigation of the coupled flow and geomechanical processes under field-representative stress conditions. This study introduces GeoTriax, a new geotechnical centrifuge cell developed to model post-CHOPS CSI processes. GeoTriax enables triaxial stress application and fluid flow under enhanced gravity, providing a platform for coupled flow–geomechanical studies. The cell enables investigation of large-scale reservoir behaviour while preserving boundary conditions through vertical and radial horizontal stress application and simultaneous collection of produced sand. This paper presents the design features of GeoTriax, including its mechanical and pneumatic systems, and outlines the experimental procedures developed to simulate post-CHOPS processes in a geotechnical centrifuge system.