Research consortium on fractured petroleum reservoirs. Third quarterly report, July 1--September 30, 1993
Our 1993 third quarter report discusses the results of our work on: (1) gas-oil gravity drainage in layered media; and, (2) the influence of viscous forces on gas-oil flow in fractured porous media. For sometime, we have been working on the incorporation of reinfiltration and capillary continuity concepts in a dual-porosity model. A simple and accurate technique has been developed for this purpose. The experiments on gas-oil gravity drainage in layered media are intended to: (1) verify our theoretical analysis; (2) provide more insight; and, (3) provide a guide for the simulation of gas-oil gravity drainage at field scale. On the first objective, the experiments confirm that gas-oil gravity drainage could result in a downward gas fingering phenomenon. Without capillary pressure, downward gas fingering could not realize. The experiments also show that drainage from a less permeable layer would be an extremely slow process. This is similar to the drainage performance of matrix blocks in fractured porous media. Apparently, relative permeability to gas (i.e. gas mobility) may be important for flow in layered porous media. The project on the effect of viscous forces on gas-oil displacement in fractured porous media has taken longer than anticipated. For the first time, in gravity drainage experiments of the matrix-fracture configuration used in this project, we could not obtain reproducible results. After several tests, we teamed that the surface tension of the normal-decane/air system changes in the presence of the coating cover which was used in the experimental assembly of this project. We removed the coating. The experiments can now be reproduced. The data show that there is a strong effect of viscous forces on matrix/fracture flow. A small imposed pressure gradient results in a substantial amount of oil recovery. After performing 3-4 more tests, the data will be analyzed and an appropriate model will be developed to relate experimental data to field conditions.
- Research Organization:
- Reservoir Engineering Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG22-93BC14875
- OSTI ID:
- 10108268
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/BC/14875-1; ON: DE94004302; BR: AC1505100/AC1510100
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 22 Nov 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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