A Comprehensive Dynamic Theory of Hydrocarbon Migration and Trapping

Siddiqui, Fahd; Lake, Larry W.

doi:10.2523/38682-ms

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Another main difference is that in the migration problem, the upstream boundary condition (in the source rock) is that the oil saturation is a given low value and is not governed by a diffusion process like here. Downstream there is a seal, which may be partially leaking, which is one of the complicating factors in the paper by [40]. In our case, we assumed a no-flow boundary at the bottom.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An empirical theory for gravitationally unstable flow in porous media

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In this paper, we follow a similar procedure as proposed by Koval (SPE J 3(2): [145][146][147][148][149][150][151][152][153][154] 1963) to analytically model CO 2 transfer between the overriding carbon dioxide layer and the brine layer below it. We show that a very thin diffusive layer on top separates the interface from a gravitationally unstable convective flow layer below it. Flow in the gravitationally unstable layer is described by the theory of Koval, a theory that is widely used and which describes miscible displacement as a pseudo two-phase flow problem. The pseudo two-phase flow problem provides the average concentration of CO 2 in the brine as a function of distance. We find that downstream of the diffusive layer, the solution of the convective part of the model, is a rarefaction solution that starts at the saturation corresponding to the highest value of the fractional-flow function. The model uses two free parameters, viz., a dilution factor and a gravity fingering index. A comparison of the Koval model with the horizontally averaged concentrations obtained from 2-D numerical simulations provides a correlation for the two parameters with the Rayleigh number. The obtained scaling relations can be used in numerical simulators to account for the density-driven natural convection, which cannot be currently captured because the grid cells are typically orders of magnitude

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An empirical theory for gravitationally unstable flow in porous media

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Shvidler and Levi (1970) have obtained an analytical solution to a static gravity segregation problem and numerically investigated dynamic gravity-driven vertical two-phase fluid flow. More recently, similar problems have been studied in the contexts of formation of oil and gas reservoirs by secondary hydrocarbon migration (Siddique and Lake 1997;Bedrikovetsky et al 2001) and gravity-drainage in fractured reservoirs (Luan 1994). An analytical solution for a model of gas plume propagation in a saline aquifer caused by gas injection has been obtained by Nordbotten et al (2005).…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

A Model of Buoyancy-Driven Two-Phase Countercurrent Fluid Flow

2008

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We seek simple analytical solutions in a model of gas flow driven by a combination of buoyancy, viscous, and capillary forces. Traveling-wave solutions describe propagation of the top and bottom of the gas plume. The top of the plume has low gas saturation, but propagates much faster than the bottom. The theoretical maximum of the velocity of propagation of the top of the plume provides a simple conservative estimate of the time until plume evolution will dramatically slow down. A sequence of rarefaction and traveling-wave solutions characterizes the transition zones between the top and bottom stable regions. The analytical results are applied to studying carbon dioxide flow caused by leaks from deep geological formations used for CO 2 storage. The results are also applicable for modeling flow of natural gas leaking from seasonal gas storage, or for modeling of secondary hydrocarbon migration.

show abstract

“…In the literature, somewhat similar two-phase flow models have been considered in the context of secondary hydrocarbon migration (Luan, 1994;Siddique and Lake, 1997;Bedrikovetsky et al, 2001). Our choice is based on the assumption that near the front of the plume dissolution and geochemistry are much slower than the flow.…”

Section: The Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

A one-dimensional model of vertical gas plume migration through a heterogeneous porous medium

Silin

Patzek

Benson

2009

International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This work is motivated by the growing interest in injecting carbon dioxide into deep geological formations as a means of avoiding its atmospheric emissions and consequent global warming.Ideally, the injected greenhouse gas stays in the injection zone for a geologic time, eventually dissolves in the formation brine and remains trapped by mineralization. However, one of the potential problems associated with the geologic method of sequestration is that naturally present or inadvertently created conduits in the cap rock may result in a gas leakage from primary storage. Even in a supercritical state, the carbon dioxide viscosity and density are lower than those of the formation brine. Buoyancy tends to drive the leaked CO 2 plume upward. Theoretical and experimental studies of buoyancy-driven supercritical CO 2 flow, including estimation of time scales associated with plume evolution and migration, are critical for developing technology, monitoring policy, and regulations for safe carbon dioxide geologic sequestration.In this study, we obtain simple estimates of vertical plume propagation velocity taking into account the density and viscosity contrast between CO 2 and brine.We describe buoyancy-driven countercurrent flow of two immiscible phases by a Buckley-Leverett type model. The model predicts that a plume of supercritical carbon dioxide in a homogeneous water-saturated porous medium does not migrate upward like a bubble in bulk water. Rather, it spreads upward until it reaches a seal or until it becomes immobile. A simple formula requiring no complex numerical calculations describes the velocity of plume propagation. This solution is a simplification of a more comprehensive theory of countercurrent plume migration (Silin et al., 2007). In a layered reservoir, the simplified solution predicts a slower plume front propagation relative to a homogeneous formation with the same harmonic mean permeability. In contrast, the model yields much higher plume propagation estimates in a high-permeability conduit like a vertical fracture.

show abstract

A Comprehensive Dynamic Theory of Hydrocarbon Migration and Trapping

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

An empirical theory for gravitationally unstable flow in porous media

An empirical theory for gravitationally unstable flow in porous media

A Model of Buoyancy-Driven Two-Phase Countercurrent Fluid Flow

A one-dimensional model of vertical gas plume migration through a heterogeneous porous medium

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About