3D CFD simulation of a horizontal well at pore scale for heavy oil fields

Pinilla, Andrés; Asuaje, Miguel; Hurtado, Caroline; Hoyos, Alejandro Vélez; Ramírez, Liliana Galindo; Padron, Aaron; Ratkovich, Nicolás Ríos

doi:10.1016/j.petrol.2020.107632

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…be tracked [31].CFD method is also used to study the influence of pore-scale visc gering [32] and formation water composition on the recovery in carbonate reserv CFD and Hernandez models are coupled to simulate and quantitatively characte distribution of residual oil in fractured-vuggy reservoir [34]. For the calculation of merical model, based on the traditional pore media models, including continuous lattice Boltzmann models, and discrete structure network models [35], a PIML w [36,37] for unconventional reservoirs (shale gas reservoirs) was proposed, wh quickly and accurately fit the production process of shale gas reservoirs and mak diction.…”

Section: Numerical Model 21 Model Simplification and Simulation Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…CFD model can be established to study the effect of wellbore shape on gas well production efficiency [28], and it can be also used to study the flow dynamic of intermittent gas lift valve [29,30]. A CFD and VOF (volume of fluid) coupling model is used to simulate the flow in a single fracture-cavity unit, and the oil-water interface can be tracked [31].CFD method is also used to study the influence of pore-scale viscous fingering [32] and formation water composition on the recovery in carbonate reservoir [33].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Numerical Simulation via CFD Methods of Nitrogen Flooding in Carbonate Fractured-Vuggy Reservoirs

Chen

Wanfen

et al. 2021

Energies

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A reservoir-scale numerical conceptual model was established according to the actual geological characteristics of a carbonate fractured-vuggy reservoir. Considering the difference in density and viscosity of fluids under reservoir conditions, CFD (computational fluid dynamic) porous medium model was applied to simulate the process of nitrogen displacement in a fractured-vuggy reservoir after water flooding. The effects of gas injection rate, injection mode, and injector–producer location relation were studied. The results show that nitrogen flooding can yield additional oil recovery of 7–15% after water flooding. Low-speed nitrogen injection is beneficial in obtaining higher oil recovery. High speed injection can expand the sweep area, but gas channeling occurs more easily. In gas–water mixed injection mode, there is fluid disturbance in the reservoir. The gas channeling is faster in low injector–high producer mode, while the high injector–low producer mode is beneficial for increasing the gas sweep range. Nevertheless, the increment of recovery is closely related to well pattern. After nitrogen flooding, there are still a lot of remaining oil distributed in the trap area of gas cap and bottom water in the reservoir that water and gas injection can’t sweep. The establishment of the numerical conceptual model compensates for the deficiency of physical simulation research, stating that only limited parameters can be simulated during experiments, and provides theoretical bases for nitrogen flooding in fractured-vuggy reservoir.

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Section: Numerical Model 21 Model Simplification and Simulation Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical Simulation via CFD Methods of Nitrogen Flooding in Carbonate Fractured-Vuggy Reservoirs

Chen

Wanfen

et al. 2021

Energies

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“…Another example is the work carry on [13] where development a model to see a 3D behavior of residual oil saturation during displacement of heavy oil by a gas phase in a capillary. The work carries by [14] where they use a model capable of simulated well in heavy oil reservoirs at a pore scale and with this model solved the governing equations of uid ow for immiscible displacements in 3D in a porous media.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematic study of the dynamics of liquid capillary rise within vertical microchannels

Sánchez-García

Castilleja-Escobedo

García-Cuéllar

et al. 2023

Preprint

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The study of capillary rise of different fluids in a capillary tube is analyzed using different experimental and mathematical methods and simulation with Computational Fluids Dynamics (CFD). Experimental tests are carried out, which in turn are compared with simplified mathematical models and CFD simulations trying to predict the same behavior of the experiments, discussing the similarities or differences found. Capillary forces or linear forces are assumed to have a significant impact on the process by neglecting gravitational forces. We find that for certain cases (depending on the time scale) the behavior can be favorable. Just as the properties of viscosity, interfacial tension and contact angle predominate in the behavior of fluids in the simulations, even the type of tube material also influences the behavior. Since if the material is hydrophilic or hydrophobic it drastically changes the conduction of the fluid, allowing you to be able to predict properties on site.

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“…The last approach used to predict the unstable displacement dynamics is based on the conservation equations of fluid flow, like Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) codes. With this approach, several researchers have conducted numerical studies either at the pore-scale [ 28 – 38 ] or the continuum scale [ 39 – 52 ]. The difference between them is that the simulation at the pore-scale considers the porous geometry of the system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Instead, a value of porosity and permeability is used at each grid cell, similarly to the reservoir codes. Nevertheless, most of the studies using these approaches have been restricted to 2D systems, with few exceptions addressing the 3D dynamics of unstable displacements [ 31 , 38 , 39 , 45 , 51 , 52 ]. Although these models’ advantages are the possibility of explicitly simulating VF, either at the pore and continuum scale for miscible and immiscible displacements, the major drawback is that they have been limited to small length scales and 2D systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

CFD study of the water production in mature heavy oil fields with horizontal wells

Pinilla

Asuaje²,

Pantoja

et al. 2021

PLoS ONE

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Excessive water production in mature heavy oil fields causes incremental costs, energy consumption, and inefficiency. Understanding multiphase flows near the wellbore is an alternative to improve production efficiency. Therefore, this study conducts a series of numerical experiments based on the full set of the Navier-Stokes equations in 3D to simulate multiphase flows in porous media for heavy oil production horizontal wells. The solution given by this advanced mathematical formulation led to the description of the movement of the fluids near the wellbore with unprecedented detail. A sensitivity analysis was conducted on different rock and fluid properties such as permeability and oil viscosity, assuming homogeneous porous media. The influence of these parameters on the prediction of the breakthrough time, aquifer movement, and the severity of water production was noticed. Finally, the numerical model was verified against field data using two approaches. The first one was conducting a history match assuming homogeneous rock properties. In contrast, the second one used heterogeneous rock properties measured from well logging, achieving a lower deviation than field data, about 20%. The homogeneous numerical experiments showed that the breakthrough occurs at the heel with a subsequent crestation along the horizontal well. Moreover, at adverse mobility ratios, excessive water production tends to happen in water connings at the heel with an inflow area less than 1% of the total inflow area of the completion liner. Different aquifer movement dynamics were found for the heterogeneous case, like the breakthrough through multiple locations along the horizontal well. Finally, critical hydraulic data in the well, such as the pressure and velocity profiles, were obtained, which could be used to improve production efficiency. The numerical model presented in this study is proposed as an alternative to conducting subsurface modeling and well designs.

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3D CFD simulation of a horizontal well at pore scale for heavy oil fields

Cited by 8 publications

References 31 publications

Numerical Simulation via CFD Methods of Nitrogen Flooding in Carbonate Fractured-Vuggy Reservoirs

Numerical Simulation via CFD Methods of Nitrogen Flooding in Carbonate Fractured-Vuggy Reservoirs

Systematic study of the dynamics of liquid capillary rise within vertical microchannels

CFD study of the water production in mature heavy oil fields with horizontal wells

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