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Mathematical Modeling of Traveling Liquid Bridges between Matrix Blocks in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs

Dejam, Morteza | 2009

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 39576 (06)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Masihi, Mohsen; Hassanzadeh, Hassan
  7. Abstract:
  8. It is widely accepted that under reservoir conditions there exists some degree of block-to-block interaction that may lead to capillary continuity. The formation of liquid bridges causing capillary continuity between blocks will significantly affect the ultimate oil recovery. However, accurate modeling of the growth and detachment of traveling liquid bridges which causes capillary continuity between blocks remains a controversial topic. In this work the generalized continuity and momentum equations along with fracture capillary pressure are combined to develop a mechanistic model for formation of traveling liquid bridges between blocks. Firoozabadi and Ishimoto (1994) model is considered for drainage rate from an upper block exposed to gravity and matrix capillary pressure effects. The proposed model considers the formation, growth and detachment of pendant liquid droplets perpendicular to the horizontal fracture, which assumed to be smooth and parallel, between blocks. Results reveal that when the size of fracture aperture is in the order of that observed in naturally fractured reservoirs, the length of detached liquid droplet is a weak function of flow rate feeding from upper block; while this length is a strong function of fracture capillary pressure. At this condition the simplified expression can be derived for determining the length of detached pendant droplet, which only depends on fracture capillary pressure, oil-gas density difference and gravitational acceleration. When the simplified equation is coupled with the modified Laplace formula for calculating the fracture capillary pressure, the obtained theoretical predictions are in agreement with the experimental observations made by Aspenes et al. (2007) for fractured media. Results of this study help better understanding of the block to block interaction phenomenon leading to development of new transfer functions for more accurate numerical simulation of fluid flow in naturally fractured reservoirs
  9. Keywords:
  10. Modeling ; Capillary Continuing ; Fractured Reservoirs ; Capillary Pressure ; Block to Block Interaction ; Traveling Liquide Elements ; Traveling Liquide Bridges

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