Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City

University of Technology
Faculty of Geology & Petroleum Engineering
Department of Drilling - Production Engineering

Course

Reservoir Simulation
Trần Nguyễn Thiện Tâm
trantam2512@hcmut.edu.vn
 Chapter 4

Finite-Difference Calculus to
Linear-Flow Equations

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 2

 References
Turgay Ertekin, Jamal H. Abou-Kassem, Gregory R. King. Basic Applied Reservoir
Simulation. Society of Petroleum Engineers, 2001.

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 3

 Contents
❑ Discretization in Conservative Form
❑ Single-Phase Flow Equations

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 4

 Discretization in Conservative Form

   P i-1 i i+1
 f ( x)
x  x 
Dx

 P   P  Dxi / 2   P  (Dxi / 2) 2  2  P 
 f ( x ) = f ( x ) + f ( x ) + f ( x ) + ...
x  i +1/2  x  i 1! x  x  i 2! x 2  x  i

 P   P  −Dxi / 2   P  (−Dxi / 2) 2  2  P 
 f ( x )  =  f ( x )  +  f ( x )  + 2 
f ( x )  + ...
x  i −1/2  x  i 1! x  x  i 2! x  x  i

 P   P 
 f ( x)  −  f ( x) 
 
x 
f ( x )
P  
x  i
=
x  i +1/2 
Dxi
x  i −1/2
+ O ( )
Dx
2
( )
12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 5
 Discretization in Conservative Form

   P i-1 i i+1
 f ( x)
x  x 
Dx
 P   P 
f ( x ) − f ( x )
P   x  i +1/2  x  i −1/2
 
x 
f ( x )
x  i
=
Dxi
+ (
O ( Dx )
2
)
 P  Pi +1 − Pi  P  Pi − Pi −1
  = + O(Dx)   = + O(Dx)
 x i +1/2 2 (Dxi + Dxi +1 )
1
 x i −1/2 2 (Dxi + Dxi −1 )
1

( Pi +1 − Pi ) ( Pi − Pi −1 )
2 f ( x)i +1/2 − 2 f ( x)i −1/2
  P  (Dxi +1 + Dxi ) (Dxi + Dxi −1 )
 f ( x )  = + O(Dx)
x  x  i Dxi

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 6

 Single-Phase Flow Equations
For slightly compressible fluids (Oil)

  Ax k x p  Vb ct p
 c  Dx + qsc =
x   B x   c B t

For compressible fluids (Gas)

  Ax k x p  Vb    
 c  Dx + qsc =
x   B x   c t  B 

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 7

 Slightly Compressible Fluid Flow Equations
▪ Spatial Discretization
▪ Temporal Discretization

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 8

 Spatial Discretization
  Ax k x p  Vb ct p
 c  Dx + qsc =
x   B x   c B t
Discretization of the left side term
 P   P 
f ( x )i + 1   − f ( x )i − 1  
  P 
2
 x i + 1 2
 x i − 1
 f ( x)  = 2 2
+ O(Dx)
x  x  i Dxi

where Ax k x  P  ( Pi +1 − Pi )  P  ( Pi − Pi −1 )
f ( x) =  c   1 =   =
B  x i + (Dxi +1 + Dxi ) / 2  x i − 1 (Dxi −1 + Dxi ) / 2
2 2

The discretization of the left side term is then

  Ax k x p   Ax k x   Ax k x 

 c D 
 i  c
x   ( Pi +1 − P ) − 
 c  ( Pi − Pi −1 )
x   B x i   BDx i + 12
i
  BDx i − 12

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 9

 Spatial Discretization
  Ax k x p   Ax k x   Ax k x 

 c D 
 i  c
x   ( Pi +1 − P ) − 
 c  ( Pi − Pi −1 )
x   B x i   BDx i + 12
i
  BDx i − 12

Define transmissibility as the coefficient in front of the pressure difference:

 Ax k x   1 
Tx =  c   
i 1
2  Dx i  1  B i  1
2 2

The left side term of the 1D single-phase flow equation is now discritized as follow:

  Ax k x P 
 c  Dxi  Txi + 12 ( Pi +1 − Pi ) + Txi − 12 ( Pi −1 − Pi )
x   B x i

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 10

 Spatial Discretization

 Ax k x   1 
Tx =  c   
i 1
2  Dx i  1  B i  1
2 2

 Ax k x 
−1

1  Ax k x 
−1
 Ax k x  
−1

  c Dx  1 =   c  +  c
Dx i 1  
Dx i 

 i  2 
2

or

 Ax k x  ( Ax k x )i 1 ( Ax k x )i
 c  1 = 2 c
 Dx i  ( Ax k x )i Dxi 1 + ( Ax k x )i 1 Dxi
2

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 11

 Spatial Discretization

 Ax k x   1 
Tx =  c   
i 1
2  Dx i  1  B i  1
2 2
Weighted Average of Mobility

i + =
(Dxi +1i +1 + Dxi i )
1
2
(Dxi+1 + Dxi )
1
=
B (Dxi −1i −1 + Dxi i )
i − 1 =
2
(Dxi−1 + Dxi )
12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 12
 Spatial Discretization

 Ax k x   1 
Tx =  c   
i 1
2  Dx i  1  B i  1
2 2

( Ax k x )i 1 ( Ax k x )i
Tx = 2 c
i
1
2
( Ax k x )i Dxi 1 + ( Ax k x )i 1 Dxi
1   1   1  
  Dxi 1  
 + Dx 
 
 
Dxi 1 + Dxi   i
 
  B i 1  B i 

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 13

 Temporal Discretization
Explicit Method
 Vb ct  ( i i )
n +1
−
n n
p p
Txni+1/2 ( pin+1 − pin ) + Txni−1/2 ( pin−1 − pin ) + qsc n = 
i

 c i
B Dt
Implicit Method
Txi+1/2 ( pi +1 − pi ) + Txi−1/2 ( pi −1 − pi ) + qsc = 
n +1 n +1 n +1 n +1 n +1 n +1 n +1  Vb ct 
n +1
(p n +1
i − pin )

i

 c i
B Dt

Semi-implicit Method (0 ≤ θ ≤ 1)
qsc n +1 +  Txni++1/21 ( pin++11 − pin +1 ) + Txni−+1/21 ( pin−+11 − pin +1 ) 
i

n n n n n n  Vb ct 
+ (1 −  ) Txi+1/2 ( pi +1 − pi ) + Txi−1/2 ( pi −1 − pi )  = 
n +1
(p
n +1
i − pin )


 c i
B Dt

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 14

 Example 1
For the 1D, block-centered grid shown on the screen, determine the pressure
distribution during the first year of production. The initial reservoir pressure is 6000
psia.

1000 ft
qsc = −150 STB/D p
=0
x
p
=0
x
75 ft
1 2 3 4 5
1000 ft

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 15

 Example 1
The rock and fluid properties for this problem are:
Dx = 1000ft; Dy = 1000ft; Dz = 75ft
B = 1RB/STB;  =10cp; cf=1.0 10-6 psi -1
k x =15md;  =0.18 at p=3000psia; c t =3.5 10−6 psi -1;
Use time step sizes of =10 days.
Assume B and  are unchanged within the pressure range of interest.
Also, the reservoir rock is considered as a slightly compressible material.

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 16

 Example 2
For the 1D, block-centered grid shown on the screen, determine the pressure
distribution during the first year of production. The initial reservoir pressure is 6000
psia.
1000 ft

qsc = −150 STB/D p

=0
x

75 ft
1 2 3 4 5
1000 ft
p = 6000psia

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 17

 Example 2
The rock and fluid properties for this problem are:
Dx = 1000ft; Dy = 1000ft; Dz = 75ft
B = 1RB/STB;  =10cp; cf=1.0 10-6 psi -1
k x =15md;  =0.18 at p=3000psia; c t =3.5 10−6 psi -1;
Use time step sizes of =15 days.
Assume B and  are unchanged within the pressure range of interest.
Also, the reservoir rock is considered as a slightly compressible material.

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 Example 3
For the 1D, block-centered grid shown on the screen, determine the pressure
distribution during the first year of production. The initial reservoir pressure is 6000
psia.

1000 ft
qsc = −75 STB/D qsc = −75 STB/D p
=0
x
p
=0
x
75 ft
1 2 3 4
1000 ft

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 19

 Example 3
The rock and fluid properties for this problem are:
Dx = 1000ft; Dy = 1000ft; Dz = 75ft
B = 1RB/STB;  =10cp; cf=1.0 10-6 psi -1
k x =15md;  =0.18 at p=3000psia; c t =3.5 10−6 psi -1;
Use time step sizes of =15 days.
Assume B and  are unchanged within the pressure range of interest.
Also, the reservoir rock is considered as a slightly compressible material.

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 20

 Example 4
For the 1D, block-centered grid shown on the screen, determine the pressure
distribution during the first year of production. The initial reservoir pressure is 6000
psia.
1000 ft
qsc = −75 STB/D qsc = −75 STB/D p
=0
x

75 ft
1 2 3 4
1000 ft
p = 6000psia

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 21

 Example 4
The rock and fluid properties for this problem are:
Dx = 1000ft; Dy = 1000ft; Dz = 75ft
B = 1RB/STB;  =10cp; cf=1.0 10-6 psi -1
k x =15md;  =0.18 at p=3000psia; c t =3.5 10−6 psi -1;
Use time step sizes of =15 days.
Assume B and  are unchanged within the pressure range of interest.
Also, the reservoir rock is considered as a slightly compressible material.

12/16/2022 Reservoir Simulation 22