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Free fall and controlled gravity drainage processes in fractured porous media: Laboratory and modelling investigation

Saedi, B ; Sharif University of Technology | 2015

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  1. Type of Document: Article
  2. DOI: 10.1002/cjce.22342
  3. Publisher: Wiley-Liss Inc , 2015
  4. Abstract:
  5. Gravity drainage is known to be one of the most effective methods for oil recovery in fractured reservoirs. In this study, both free fall and controlled gravity drainage processes were studied using a transparent fractured experimental model, followed by modelling using commercial CFD software. The governing equations were employed based on the Darcy and mass conservation laws and partial pressure formulation. Comprehensive examination was done on variables such as fluid saturation, velocity, and pressure distribution in the matrix and fracture, as well as fluid front level and production rate. Additionally, effects of the model parameters on the gravity drainage performance were investigated. The experimental results confirmed a higher oil recovery factor at breakthrough for lower production rates in the controlled gravity drainage. Satisfactory agreement was observed between the experimental data and modelling results
  6. Keywords:
  7. Numerical modelling ; Computational fluid dynamics ; Enhanced recovery ; Numerical models ; Oil well flooding ; Petroleum reservoir engineering ; Petroleum reservoirs ; Porous materials ; Comprehensive examination ; Controlled gravity drainages ; Experimental modeling ; Fractured porous media ; Fractured reservoir ; Governing equations ; Gravity drainage ; Mass conservation law ; Process control
  8. Source: Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering ; Volume 93, Issue 12 , October , 2015 , Pages 2286-2297 ; 00084034 (ISSN)
  9. URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cjce.22342/abstract