IPTC 13244

Gas-Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) Process for Improved Oil Recovery

Norollah Kasiri and A. Bashiri, Iran University of Science & Technology

Copyright 2009, International Petroleum Technology Conference

This paper was prepared for presentation at the International Petroleum Technology Conference held in Doha, Qatar, 7–9 December 2009.

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ABSTRACT
Water Alternating Gas injection (WAG) or Simultaneous Water and Gas Injection (SWAG) floods have been proposed as very
good solution to overcome gravity segregation and better EOR performance in compare to conventional continuous gas
injection (CGI). However WAG-Based processes cause some problems associated with increased water saturation including
diminished gas injectivity. As an effective alternative for WAG, Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) for conventional
reservoirs has been developed (US Patent 2006/0289157) that takes advantage of the natural segregation of gas from liquid
hydrocarbon during injection. The GAGD process consists of placing a horizontal producer near the bottom of oil column and
injecting gas through existing vertical wells. As the injected gas rises to form a gas zone, oil and water drain down to the
horizontal producer. Application of GAGD for IOR in naturally fractured reservoir is discussed here based on some facts and
figures.

KEYWORDS: Gravity Drainage, Improved Oil Recovery, Fractured Reservoir, Simulation

1. INTRODUCTION
Worldwide EOR surveys by the Oil and Gas Journal (April 21, 2008) for the last two decades clearly shows increased popularity
and production share of gas injection processes in the world. Review of related experiences indicates that sweep &
microscopic displacement efficiency are major issues for any successful EOR Process. Microscopic efficiency (as extent
of mobilizing the trapped reservoir residual oil) is a function of capillary number (Ca) as ratio of viscous to capillary forces.
On the other hand, the volumetric sweep, defined as the percentage of reservoirs contacted by the injected fluid, is
governed by the mobility ratio and reservoir heterogeneity (Willhite et al., 1998):
µD νD
Ca 1
σ
λD
M 2
λ
k
λ 3
µ
2 IPTC 13244

To maximize efficiency of any EOR process, the capillary number should be maximized while minimizing the mobility ratio. Gas
injection EOR processes are excellent in microscopic displacement efficiencies due to small interfacial tension developed
between the injected gas and reservoir oil, which can be further decreased to zero during miscible injection that boosts
Capillary Number value. But volumetric sweep efficiency of these EOR processes is their major shortcoming (Satter et al.,
2008). Viscosity of commonly injected gases such as carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons is about one-tenth of the reservoir fluids
viscosities that will cause unfavorable mobility ratios and severe gas-oil gravity segregation with large un-swept reservoir areas.
Fortunately some forecasting tools such as viscous gravity number can be used to evaluate this issue (Green et al., 2000). In
order to improve sweep efficiency of Gas Injection Water Alternating Gas (WAG) has been widely practiced with simultaneous
decrease for injection gas requirements. Although conceptually sound, the WAG process has not measured up to expectations
as evidenced by the low (5–10%) recoveries observed in 59 field applications (Kulkarni et al., 2006). Imperfect mobility ratio
improvements and increased mobile water saturation that causes water shielding (the water films prevent oil and gas coming
into direct contact and, for miscible gas injection, delay the onset of miscibility) can justify this poor recovery within WAG
Process. The drainage of oil under gravity forces, either through gas cap expansion or by gas injection at the crest of the
reservoir, has proven to be an efficient gas injection method (with considerable corefloods and filed investigation) since it can
reduce the residual oil saturation to very low values. Recoveries as high as 85–95% OOIP (Original Oil in Place) have been
reported in field tests and nearly 100% recovery efficiencies have been observed in laboratory floods (Ren, 2002). Gravity
stable gas injection takes advantage of the density difference between injected gas and reservoir fluid that cause problems of
poor sweep efficiencies and gravity override in horizontal gas floods (such as WAG). This concept has been used in next
sections to introduce interesting EOR process within naturally fractured reservoir.

2. GAS–OIL GRAVITY DRAINAGE (GOGD) IN NFR

In naturally fractured reservoirs (NFR), the matrix which contains most of the oil is surrounded by a system of fractures of very
little volume but with permeabilities that are several orders of magnitude higher than that of the matrix (not for all type of
Fractured Reservoirs but Type II which is encountered in south of Iran frequently):

Table1: Classification of Naturally Fractured Reservoir (Nar et al., 2006)

NFR TYPE DEFINITION EXAMPLES

Fractures provide essential porosity and Amal, Libya

TYPE1
permeability Edison, California

Agha Jari, Iran

TYPE2 Fractures provide essential permeability Haft kel, Iran
Spraberry Trend Area, Texas

Fractures provide a permeability Kirkuk, Iraq

TYPE3
assistance Dukhan,Quatar

In such reservoir it is difficult to apply pressure differential in the matrix to recover its oil content by conventional displacement
process because injected fluid simply flows through the fracture system bypassing the oil in the matrix. However by introduction
IPTC 13244 3

of gas into the fracture system such that the gas-oil contact (GOC) in the fracture system becomes deeper than the GOC in the
matrix, then a hydrostatic imbalance is created. The oil in the matrix above the fracture GOC is surrounded by gas and is forced
to drain downwards by virtue of its higher density ultimately into the fracture oil rim. As the oil drains from the matrix it is
replaced by gas and the oil collecting in the fracture system can then be produced. This process is called gas-oil gravity
drainage (GOGD). Figure1 shows mathematical framework for gravity drainage from single block within a given fractured
reservoir. Van Golf-Racht (1982) showed that gravity drainage displacement of oil by gas will start only if the column of gas in
the fracture (Hg) is higher than the threshold height because in such displacement the capillary pressure has a negative effect
on production and oil can be produced to the extent that gravitational forces exceed capillary forces. The gravity segregation in
a given naturally fractured reservoir is highly affected by extent of capillary continuity between matrix blocks across fractures,
and by the process of oil reinfiltration from fractures to matrix blocks (Kleppe, 1996):

Fig.1. Oil Displacement by Gas oil Gravity Drainage within Matrix Block of Fractured Reservoir

One of the very important issues in studying a given naturally fractured reservoir, regardless of simulation model capabilities, is
to investigate the presence and the degree of capillary continuity within reservoir structure (Refer to Fig. 2 for different possible
fracture-matrix interaction). Some authors are advocating the presence of capillary continuity (Block-Block Interaction) in
fractured reservoir but their conclusion is mainly based on the results of superficial and simple laboratory experiments or
simulation observations (Saidi, 2006) which is not valid for actual reservoir simulation studies.
4 IPTC 13244

Fig.2. Schematic Representation of Different Types of Matrix-Fracture Interaction (Saidi, 1987)

For example if fair to good capillary continuity exists between blocks, repressurizing a fractured reservoir by gas injection would
mainly give the swelling benefit of the residual oil saturation. Whereas if poor capillary continuity exists in a reservoir, gas
repressurizing will considerably improve oil recovery throughout both swelling and reducing interfacial tension and thus the
threshold height of matrix. The presence and degree of capillary continuity can be estimated by analyzing the variation of oil
production rate versus the variation of oil column thickness or the variation of gas-oil contact within a given reservoir (Saidi,
1987). Also if the horizontal fractures are partially filled with impermeable materials then a poor capillary continuity should be
expected. Therefore confirmation of capillary continuity (and its extent) within a given fracture reservoir is more important than
its mathematical modeling.

An important aspect in gas-oil gravity drainage of fractured reservoirs (with direct impact on gravity drainage and EOR
processes such as gas assisted gravity drainage) is reinfiltration process when drained oil from an upper matrix block enters
(totally or partially) into lower one (Fig.2). The flow from one block to another (reinfiltration) is either achieved by film flow across
contact points or by liquid bridges. The reinfiltration mechanism is also time dependent, since liquid bridging provides the main
transmissibility in the initial stage of the gravity drainage process. Later the oil saturation in the fractures will be very low and the
main liquid transmissibility from block to block is due to film flow. This final period is of long duration and is very important for
the overall recovery. Therefore EOR process in NFR such as Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) that refers to gravity
drainage as main recovery mechanism should pay attention to mathematical modeling of these complex reservoirs.
IPTC 13244 5

3. GAS ASSISTED GRAVITY DRAINAGE IN NATURALLY FRACTURED RESERVOIR

The newly proposed Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) process (Rao et al., 2008) provide a process which extrapolates
the highly successful gravity stable gas injection processes. The GAGD process consists of placing a horizontal producer at the
bottom of the pay zone and injecting gas through existing vertical wells at the top (into the gas cap) to provide gravity stable
displacement and uniform reservoir sweep. This process takes advantage of the gravity segregation effects and horizontal wells
technology for different types of reservoirs. Horizontal wells have the advantage of having a high productivity index (due to
large contact with the reservoir). Furthermore, horizontal wells are ideal for the gravity drainage processes (Rao et al, 2004).
The main advantage of placing the horizontal well at the bottom of the pay zone in GAGD is that when the natural drive of oil
such as gas cap or solution drive has been depleted, gravity forces will take over with continued oil production. A second
advantage of horizontal wells is that they able to delay gas breakthrough and the encroachment of water:

Fig. 3: Schematic of Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage Process (US Patent 2006/0289157)

The only published experimental data (immiscible Injection) related to GAGD within a simple fractured core with only two
vertical fractures (Mahmoud et al., 2007) have been checked here with an in-house numerical code for fractured reservoir
simulation. Due to nature of the code which is developed for well-fractured reservoir and estimation of some data that was not
reported for mentioned fractured core it is interesting that good agreement is available between predicted and actual data.
Regardless of simulation results and refer to experimental trend within this example (Fig. 4) and importance of gas-oil gravity
drainage within NFR as major recovery mechanism it can be stated that GAGD should be considered as competitive IOR
candidate for naturally fractured reservoir with deep oil column. Kulkarni et al. (2006) introduced a new dimensionless group as
"gravity Drainage Number" with corresponding approximate correlations for GAGD oil recovery (miscible and immiscible) based
on some 2D physical model, 1D Core Floods and 3D Filed data:

Where (Bond Number) measures the relative strength of gravity and capillary forces and is a combination of the bond &
capillary number. Structure of indicate that k (absolute permeability) is solely source of difference for value between
fractured and conventional reservoirs. In this basis and because fractured reservoir can have higher absolute permeability than
conventional one (generally), experimental data in Fig. 4 become reasonable. Also refer to approximate correlations (Equation
6 IPTC 13244

7 & 8) and definition of gravity drainage number it can be said that miscible GAGD can yield better overall recovery in fractured
reservoir due to small interfacial tension (near zero) developed between injected gas and reservoir fluid in this condition that
boosts Capillary Number and Bond Number values.

Δ
5

Δ
6

% 4.59 32.3 7

% 4.57 55.39 8

100

90

80

70

60
Recovery, %

50
Fractured Core Experimental
40
Fractured Core Simulation

30 Unfractured Core

20

10

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Recovery, min

Fig. 4: Numerical and Experimental Prediction of GAGD within a simple fractured core (Core Data from Mahmoud et al., 2007)

4. CONCLUSION
Application of Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage (GAGD) within Naturally Fractured Reservoirs (NFR) has been discussed in
this paper. It can be stated that miscible GAGD process within a given fractured reservoir should offer better recovery in
compare to immiscible one but relative density of injection gas and reservoir fluid is another issue that should be treated
carefully during injection gas selection.
NOMENCLATURE
Ca: Capillary Number
λD : Mobility of the displacing fluid phase
λ : Mobility of the displaced fluid phase
λ : Mobility of the fluid
k : Effective Permeability of Phase l, mD
IPTC 13244 7

µ : Visocity of Phase l, Pas. sec

σ: Interfacial Tention, N/m
ν: Darcy Velocity, m/sec
M: Mobility Ratio, Dimensionless
µD : Displacing Fluid Viscosity, Pas. Sec

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