Abstract: The authors established the relationship between the reservoir resistivity’s variation and surface potential’s variation based on electrodes potential model, which provides a theoretical basis for dynamic monitoring the movement pattern of viscous oil by using potential measurement method. This technique was used in a project carried in an oilfield in Xinjiang. The authors conclude the advancing direction and affect area of stream flooding by measuring the variation of electric field, delimit different regions depending on the effect of stream flooding. The region has larger variation of potential. The stream flooding’s effect is more obviously, which shows the higher production of oil it should have.

Key words: potential test, injecting steam to drive oil, dynamic monitoring