Study on the effect of polymer viscosity and Darcy velocity on relative permeability curves in polymer flooding

2021 ◽  
Vol 200 ◽  
pp. 108393
Author(s):  
Wenlong Zhang ◽  
Jian Hou ◽  
Yongge Liu ◽  
Qingjun Du ◽  
Weidong Cao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Relative Permeability ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Darcy Velocity ◽  
Relative Permeability Curves

An Inversion Method of Relative Permeability Curves in Polymer Flooding Considering Physical Properties of Polymer

SPE Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (05) ◽  
pp. 1929-1943 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongge Liu ◽  
Jian Hou ◽  
Lingling Liu ◽  
Kang Zhou ◽  
Yanhui Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Simulation Model ◽  
Relative Permeability ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
Residual Resistance ◽  
Relative Permeability Curve ◽  
Nonsteady State ◽  
State Method ◽  
Relative Permeability Curves

Summary Reliable relative permeability curves of polymer flooding are of great importance to the history matching, production prediction, and design of the injection and production plan. Currently, the relative permeability curves of polymer flooding are obtained mainly by the steady-state, nonsteady-state, and pore-network methods. However, the steady-state method is extremely time-consuming and sometimes produces huge errors, while the nonsteady-state method suffers from its excessive assumptions and is incapable of capturing the effects of diffusion and adsorption. As for the pore-network method, its scale is very small, which leads to great size differences with the real core sample or the field. In this paper, an inversion method of relative permeability curves in polymer flooding is proposed by combining the polymer-flooding numerical-simulation model and the Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) algorithm. Because the polymer-flooding numerical-simulation model by far offers the most-complete characterization of the flowing mechanisms of polymer, the proposed method is able to capture the effects of polymer viscosity, residual resistance, diffusion, and adsorption on the relative permeability. The inversion method was then validated and applied to calculate the relative permeability curve from the experimental data of polymer flooding. Finally, the effects of the influencing factors on the inversion error were analyzed, through which the inversion-error-prediction model of the relative permeability curve was built by means of multivariable nonlinear regression. The results show that the water relative permeability in polymer flooding is still far less than that in waterflooding, although the residual resistance of the polymer has been considered in the numerical-simulation model. Moreover, the accuracy of the polymer parameters has great effect on that of the inversed relative permeability curve, and errors do occur in the inversed water relative permeability curve—the measurements of the polymer solution viscosity, residual resistance factor, inaccessible pore-volume (PV) fraction, or maximum adsorption concentration have errors.

scholarly journals Effects of nanocomposite polymer flooding on Egyptian crude oil recovery

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 3937-3945
Author(s):  
M. E. Helmi ◽  
M. Abu El Ela ◽  
S. M. Desouky ◽  
M. H. Sayyouh
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Relative Permeability ◽  
Polymer Matrix ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Western Desert ◽  
Polymerization Process ◽  
Reservoir Temperature ◽  
Nanocomposite Polymer ◽  
Relative Permeability Curves

Abstract In this work, a laboratory study of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) was carried out using Egyptian crude oil of 37°API extracted from a reservoir in the Western Desert to identify the optimum conditions for the application of locally prepared nanocomposite polymer flooding under harsh reservoir condition. In contrary to the other studies, we tested the ability of nanocomposite polymer where nanoparticles are involved in the polymer matrix during polymerization process. Measurements of viscosity and shear rate of several solutions were taken. Displacement runs were conducted at different conditions of nanocomposite polymer salinities (10,000, 20,000, 30,000, 40,000, 50,000, 60,000 and 65,000 ppm), concentrations (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 and 4 g/L) and slug sizes (0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 PV). A linear sandpack (length of 62.5 cm and diameter of 2″) was prepared and wrapped with thermal jacket to simulate several reservoir temperatures. It was filled by selected sand size to produce linear sandpack model with reasonable porosity (22%) and permeability (129–157 mD) values. The model was used to perform several displacements runs for waterflooding and nanocomposite polymer flooding. The results of the flood runs are analyzed using the water–oil relative permeability curves. The measurements of the solutions properties showed that the critical concentration of the used nanocomposite polymer in the solution is 2 g/L. Also, it was observed that the used nanocomposite polymer solution could withstand a salinity of 60,000 ppm. As a result of the flooding, it was found that the optimum economical slug size of the used nanocomposite polymer is 0.4 PV at reservoir temperature of 40 °C. The results indicated also that the used nanocomposite polymer could withstand a reservoir temperature of 90 °C. The water–oil relative permeability curves showed an enhancement of oil relative permeability and a decrease in the water relative permeability using nanocomposite polymer over waterflooding. The cost of the used nanocomposite polymer with a concentration of 2 g/L and slug size of 0.4 PV is 0.626 $ for each barrel of the incremental oil recovery. Based on the results of this work, it is clear that involving nanoparticles such as silica in the polymer matrix composition improves its properties, thermal and salinity resistivity. Such study is an original contribution to carry out successful nanocomposite polymer EOR projects.

scholarly journals The Numerical Simulation Study of the Oil–Water Seepage Behavior Dependent on the Polymer Concentration in Polymer Flooding

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 5125
Author(s):  
Qiong Wang ◽  
Xiuwei Liu ◽  
Lixin Meng ◽  
Ruizhong Jiang ◽  
Haijun Fan
Keyword(s):  
Relative Permeability ◽  
History Matching ◽  
Polymer Concentration ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Core Flooding ◽  
Relative Permeability Curve ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Trapping Number ◽  
Relative Permeability Curves ◽  
Interpolation Factor

It is well acknowledged that due to the polymer component, the oil–water relative permeability curve in polymer flooding is different from the curve in waterflooding. As the viscoelastic properties and the trapping number are presented for modifying the oil–water relative permeability curve, the integration of these two factors for the convenience of simulation processes has become a key issue. In this paper, an interpolation factor Ω that depends on the normalized polymer concentration is firstly proposed for simplification. Then, the numerical calculations in the self-developed simulator are performed to discuss the effects of the interpolation factor on the well performances and the applications in field history matching. The results indicate that compared with the results of the commercial simulator, the simulation with the interpolation factor Ω could more accurately describe the effect of the injected polymer solution in controlling water production, and more efficiently simplify the combination of factors on relative permeability curves in polymer flooding. Additionally, for polymer flooding history matching, the interpolation factor Ω is set as an adjustment parameter based on core flooding results to dynamically consider the change of the relative permeability curves, and has been successfully applied in the water cut matching of the two wells in Y oilfield. This investigation provides an efficient method to evaluate the seepage behavior variation of polymer flooding.

scholarly journals Experimental investigation of the displacement flow mechanism and oil recovery in primary polymer flood operations

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruissein Mahon ◽  
Gbenga Oluyemi ◽  
Babs Oyeneyin ◽  
Yakubu Balogun
Keyword(s):  
Relative Permeability ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Mobility Control ◽  
List Type ◽  
Motor Oil ◽  
Flow Mechanism ◽  
Fractional Flow ◽  
Recovery Method ◽  
Polymer Flood

Abstract Polymer flooding is a mature chemical enhanced oil recovery method employed in oilfields at pilot testing and field scales. Although results from these applications empirically demonstrate the higher displacement efficiency of polymer flooding over waterflooding operations, the fact remains that not all the oil will be recovered. Thus, continued research attention is needed to further understand the displacement flow mechanism of the immiscible process and the rock–fluid interaction propagated by the multiphase flow during polymer flooding operations. In this study, displacement sequence experiments were conducted to investigate the viscosifying effect of polymer solutions on oil recovery in sandpack systems. The history matching technique was employed to estimate relative permeability, fractional flow and saturation profile through the implementation of a Corey-type function. Experimental results showed that in the case of the motor oil being the displaced fluid, the XG 2500 ppm polymer achieved a 47.0% increase in oil recovery compared with the waterflood case, while the XG 1000 ppm polymer achieved a 38.6% increase in oil recovery compared with the waterflood case. Testing with the motor oil being the displaced fluid, the viscosity ratio was 136 for the waterflood case, 18 for the polymer flood case with XG 1000 ppm polymer and 9 for the polymer flood case with XG 2500 ppm polymer. Findings also revealed that for the waterflood cases, the porous media exhibited oil-wet characteristics, while the polymer flood cases demonstrated water-wet characteristics. This paper provides theoretical support for the application of polymer to improve oil recovery by providing insights into the mechanism behind oil displacement. Graphic abstract Highlights The difference in shape of relative permeability curves are indicative of the effect of mobility control of each polymer concentration. The water-oil systems exhibited oil-wet characteristics, while the polymer-oil systems demonstrated water-wet characteristics. A large contrast in displacing and displaced fluid viscosities led to viscous fingering and early water breakthrough.

scholarly journals Variations in Permeability and Porosity of Synthetic Oil Reservoir Rock-Methods of Control

1965 ◽  
Vol 5 (04) ◽  
pp. 329-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larman J. Heath
Keyword(s):  
Porous Media ◽  
Relative Permeability ◽  
Reservoir Rock ◽  
Oil Reservoir ◽  
Natural Reservoir ◽  
Natural Rock ◽  
Unconsolidated Sand ◽  
Synthetic Rock ◽  
Porosity And Permeability ◽  
Relative Permeability Curves

Abstract Synthetic rock with predictable porosity and permeability bas been prepared from mixtures of sand, cement and water. Three series of mixes were investigated primarily for the relation between porosity and permeability for certain grain sizes and proportions. Synthetic rock prepared of 65 per cent large grains, 27 per cent small grains and 8 per cent Portland cement, gave measurable results ranging in porosity from 22.5 to 40 per cent and in permeability from 0.1 darcies to 6 darcies. This variation in porosity and permeability was caused by varying the amount of blending water. Drainage- cycle relative permeability characteristics of the synthetic rock were similar to those of natural reservoir rock. Introduction The fundamental behavior characteristics of fluids flowing through porous media have been described in the literature. Practical application of these flow characteristics to field conditions is too complicated except where assumptions are overly simplified. The use of dimensionally scaled models to simulate oil reservoirs has been described in the literature. These and other papers have presented the theoretical and experimental justification for model design. Others have presented elements of model construction and their operation. In most investigations the porous media have consisted of either unconsolidated sand, glass beads, broken glass or plastic-impregnated granular substances-materials in which the flow behavior is not identical to that in natural reservoir rock. The relative permeability curves for unconsolidated sands differ from those for consolidated sandstone. The effect of saturation history on relative permeability measurements A discussed by Geffen, et al. Wygal has shown quite conclusively that a process of artificial cementation can be used to render unconsolidated packs into synthetic sandstones having properties similar to those of natural rock. Many theoretical and experimental studies have been made in attempts to determine the structure and properties of unconsolidated sand, the most notable being by Naar and Wygal. Others have theorized and experimented with the fundamental characteristics of reservoir rocks. This study was conducted to determine if some general relationship could be established between the size of sand grains and the porosity and permeability in consolidated binary packs. This paper presents the results obtained by changing some of the factors which affect the porosity and permeability of synthetically prepared sandstone. In addition, drainage relative permeability curves are presented. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Mixtures of Portland cement with water and aggregate generally are designed to have certain characteristics, but essentially all are planned to be impervious to water or other liquids. Synthetic sandstone simulating oil reservoir rock, however, must be designed to have a given permeability (sometimes several darcies), a porosity which is primarily the effective porosity but quantitatively similar to natural rock, and other characteristics comparable to reservoir rock, such as wettability, pore geometry, tortuosity, etc. Unconsolidated ternary mixtures of spheres gave both a theoretically computed and an experimentally observed minimum porosity of about 25 per cent. By using a particle-distribution system, one-size particle packs had reproducible porosities in the reproducible range of 35 to 37 per cent. For model reservoir studies of the prototype system, a synthetic rock having a porosity of 25 per cent or less and a permeability of 2 darcies was required. The rock bad to be uniform and competent enough to handle. Synthetic sandstone cores mere prepared utilizing the technique developed by Wygal. Some tight variations in the procedure were incorporated. The sand was sieved through U.S. Standard sieves. SPEJ P. 329ˆ

Analytical Solutions and Derivation of Relative Permeabilities for Water-Heavy Oil Displacement and Gas-Heavy Oil Gravity Drainage Under Non-Isothermal Conditions

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (01) ◽  
pp. 181-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. J. Argüelles-Vivas ◽  
T.. Babadagli
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Gradient ◽  
Relative Permeability ◽  
Heavy Oil ◽  
Variable Temperature ◽  
Spontaneous Imbibition ◽  
Analytical Models ◽  
Gravity Drainage ◽  
Positive Temperature ◽  
Relative Permeability Curves ◽  
Isothermal Gas

Summary Analytical models were developed for non-isothermal gas/heavy-oil gravity drainage and water-heavy oil displacements in round capillary tubes including the effects of a temperature gradient throughout the system. By use of the model solution for a bundle of capillaries, relative permeability curves were generated at different temperature conditions. The results showed that water/gas-heavy oil interface location, oil-drainage velocity, and production rate depend on the change of oil properties with temperature. The displacement of heavy oil by water or gas was accelerated under a positive temperature gradient, including the spontaneous imbibition of water. Relative permeability curves were greatly affected by temperature gradient and showed significant changes compared with the curves at constant temperature. Clarifications were made as to the effect of variable temperature compared with the constant (but high) temperatures throughout the bundle of capillaries.

Fast Upscaling of Polymer Flood Simulations Using Fractional Flow and Scaled Mobilities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasan Al-Ibadi ◽  
Karl Stephen ◽  
Eric Mackay
Keyword(s):  
Relative Permeability ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Pressure Profile ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Mobility Control ◽  
Scale Model ◽  
Fine Scale ◽  
Fractional Flow ◽  
Water Viscosity ◽  
Flow Mobility

Abstract We introduce a pseudoisation method to upscale polymer flooding in order to capture the flow behaviour of fine scale models. This method is also designed to improve the predictability of pressure profiles during this process. This method controls the numerical dispersion of coarse grid models so that we are able to reproduce the flow behaviour of the fine scale model. To upscale polymer flooding, three levels of analysis are required such that we need to honour (a) the fractional flow solution, (b) the water and oil mobility and (c) appropriate upscaling of single phase flow. The outcome from this analysis is that a single pseudo relative permeability set that honours the modification that polymer applies to water viscosity modification without explicitly changing it. The shape of relative permeability can be chosen to honour the fractional flow solution of the fine scale using the analytical solution. This can result in a monotonic pseudo relative permeability set and we call it the Fractional-Flow method. To capture the pressure profile as well, individual relative permeability curves must be chosen appropriately for each phase to ensure the correct total mobility. For polymer flooding, changes to the water relative permeability included the changes to water viscosity implicitly thus avoiding the need for inclusion of a polymer solute. We call this type of upscaling as Fractional-Flow-Mobility control method. Numerical solution of the upscaled models, obtained using this method, were validated against fine scale models for 1D homogenous model and as well as 3D models with randomly distributed permeability for various geological realisations. The recovery factor and water cut matched the fine scale model very well. The pressure profile was reasonably predictable using the Fractional-Flow-Mobility control method. Both Fractional-Flow and Fractional-flow-Mobility control methods can be calculated in advance without running a fine scale model where the analysis is based on analytical solution even though produced a non-monotonic pseudo relative permeability curve. It simplified the polymer model so that it is much easier and faster to simulate. It offers the opportunity to quickly predict oil and water phase behaviour.

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