Multiphase Flow in a Naturally Fractured Reservoir: Equation of Continuity

Abstract

In this article an equation of continuity of multiphase flow in naturally fractured reservoirs was derived. The scaling analysis is presented in order to identify the characteristic scales where the fractured porous media can be studied. The system under consideration consists of two regions and an inter-region. One region is porous medium saturated with multiphase flow (η -region) and the other region is multiphase flow in the fracture (ω-region). The multiphase flow analyzed in both regions is water-oil-gas. The oneequation model (single velocity) was obtained for predicted energy transfer in naturally fractured reservoirs using the non-local averaging approximation.

Diffusive Transport in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs: Averaging Equations

“…However, during thermal recovery (e.g., Cazarez-Candia and Centeno-Reyes, 2009) the diffusive transport is even more relevant. The heat transfer process at two-scales that considers multiphase flow in naturally fractured reservoirs was developed by Espinosa-Paredes (2014a), and the continuity equation was derived by Espinosa-Paredes et al (2015) considering also two-scales as in the case of HTP. One of these scales is the Darcy-scale (Scale-I) and the other scale is a macroscopic scale (Scale-II), where the characteristic length of Scale-II is bigger compared with the characteristic length of Scale-I.…”