1

Vermelding onderdeel organisatie

1
Whats the point of fractional
flow modeling?
2
All models are false, but
some models are useful.
- George E P Box
2
3
Whats useful in fractional-flow
modeling?
Exact solutions for benchmarking accuracy and
numerical artifacts of simulators
Identify key parameters in complex models
Identify key aspects of complex processes
Viscous instability in sequence of banks
Most important conditions for conducting
experiments
Can lead to improved designs, to be tested and
refined with simulation
Solutions that can be extended to resolution not
feasible with finite-difference simulation
4
Identify key elements of process
In this example, surfactant preflush precedes foam
injection; only one fractional-flow curve applies
Authors claimed model with 11 foam parameters essential
Fitting single coreflood with uniform mobility in foam bank
is easy with fractional-flow method; only one foam
parameter is needed S
w
in foam bank
Identify key parameters in complex models
3
5
Foam for Miscible Flood: Solution
6
Foam for Miscible Flood: Solution
High-mobility gas banks ahead of
foam likely to finger through oil in
2D or 3D; actual velocity of oil bank
likely to be slower velocity of foam bank
4
7
Example of Insights: Gas Injection in
SAG Foam Process
Inject gas (f
w
= 0); initial condition S
w
= 1
Surfactant Preflush has placed AGENT (surfactant) in
region of interest; only one fractional-flow curve
Most important conditions for conducting experiments
8
Example of Insights: Gas Injection in
SAG Foam Process
For foam model in this study, fractional-flow
analysis predicts shock to foam collapse
no mobility control anywhere
Benchmark accuracy of simulators
Yet 2D simulations
(incorrectly) show
control of gravity
override, even as
grid refined
Tip-off was
injectivity
5
9
Example of Insights: Gas Injection in
SAG Foam Process
Fractional-flow analysis predicts extremely high
mobility near well, where foam dries out and collapses
Therefore, get good injectivity and low mobility away
from well: perfect for overcoming gravity override
Verify with simulation
Insights improved designs
Example of Insights: Underestimated
Foam Injectivity in Simulators
In gas injection in SAG process, foam dries out and
collapses near injection well; this greatly increases
injectivity
Simulators do not resolve near-well region well
Fractional-flow simulation allows resolution to arbitrary
accuracy (e.g., cm)
Show huge errors in simulator injectivity
10
6
11
Extensions to Two-Phase Fractional-
Flow Methods
Consider local variation in S
w
within shock
Three phases, many components (gets complicated!)
Non-uniform initial conditions, changing injection
Fingering (Koval theory)
Gravity (capillary-gravity equilibrium)
Layers differing in k, in capillary equilibrium
Compressible phases; phase changes (steam flooding)
Phase changes (steam flooding)
Non-uniform porous media, non-Newtonian fluids
Gravity segregation at steady state
Dynamic, non-s.s. processes
Complex geochemical reactions with rock
Non-monotonic f
w
(S
w
) functions and multiple steady states;
capillary hysteresis
12
Extensions: Local variations within
shock
Shock is not really a dis-
continuity, but a sharp,
continuous transition:
traveling wave.
Traveling wave is
governed by balance be-
tween convective forces
sharpening the front and
dispersive forces spreading it out
Entropy condition (rule that shock cant cut through
f
w
(S
w
) curve) derives from analysis of traveling wave
Traveling wave sometimes changes behavior of
large-scale displacement
7
13
Extension: Three-phase flow
Much more complicated
that two-phase fractional-
flow theory; see Lake, et
al. Enhanced Oil
Recovery, 1989 for intro.
Mathematicians are still
working out basic proofs
of solution validity
One key insight: In
multicontact miscibility,
key is to have either
crude oil or solvent
beyond extended tie line
at plait point.
14
Extension: Non-Newtonian two-
phase flow
Characteristics are curved, but S
w
still constant on
each characteristic
Construction of shocks complicated, but behind shocks
one can solve for
both changing
saturation and
non-Newtonian
rheology
simultaneously
Used to solve for
injectivity of non-
Newtonian foam
8
15
Extensions: Gravity segregation at
steady state
A different two-variable problem: solve for S
w
(x,z) at
steady state instead of S
w
(x,t) in 1D
Need change of variable from z to stream function;
lose some information about vertical position of fronts
Can solve for distance to complete segregation for co-
injected gas and liquid at steady state
Insights led to focus on ways
to improve injectivity of foam
Method can be extended to
nonuniform injection: e.g.,
injection of gas above water
16
Extensions: Dynamic, non local-
steady-state processes; multiple
steady state
Assume process is at local steady-state everywhere
but where conditions change rapidly in shocks
Analysis of traveling wave at shock must account for
dynamics, non-steady-state processes within traveling
wave
Can describe geochemical reactions, mass transfer
processes, foam dynamics
9
17
Extensions to Two-Phase Fractional-
Flow Methods
Consider local variation in S
w
within shock
Three phases, many components (gets complicated!)
Non-uniform initial conditions, changing injection
Fingering (Koval theory)
Gravity (capillary-gravity equilibrium)
Layers differing in k, in capillary equilibrium
Compressible phases; phase changes (steam flooding)
Phase changes (steam flooding)
Non-uniform porous media, non-Newtonian fluids
Gravity segregation at steady state
Dynamic, non-s.s. processes
Complex geochemical reactions with rock
Non-monotonic f
w
(S
w
) functions and multiple steady states;
capillary hysteresis