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

Abstract

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.

The Enhanced Oil Recovery Effect of Nitrogen-Assisted Gravity Drainage in Karst Reservoirs with Different Genesis: A Case Study of the Tahe Oilfield

“…Due to multiscale fractures and caves in varying karst reservoirs, lots of remaining oil after water flooding have great development potential; therefore a reasonable and feasible replacement technology needs to be developed urgently [13][14][15]. The application of the gas-flooding technique shows that the EOR effect of N 2 flooding is significantly different in varying well groups; so, the main action mechanism and core sensitivity factors of gas flooding to EOR need to be an indepth study.…”