Length-dependent pseudofunction: An improved up-scaling method in black oil simulation

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:113410

Soedarmo, E; Taggart, I J ^[1]; Paterson, L

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1. Univ. of New South Wales, Canberra (Australia)

The up-scaling of multiphase flow from fine-scale grid data to coarse-scale grid blocks is an important step in the development of numerical models to predict full field behavior. To perform the up-scaling, use is made of pseudofunctions for fractional flow, relative permeability and capillary pressure. While the use of pseudofunction techniques, such as those proposed by Kyte and Berry, is widespread, the general application of such up-scale properties generates inconsistent results. This paper proposes that the underlying cause of this discrepancy is the non-constant behavior of saturation velocities in the original fine-scale simulation. The concept of length-dependency, or the length-dependent pseudofunction (LDP) method, is introduced in this work to allow coarse grid block models to more closely match the average behavior of fine-scale models. Using predictions of two-dimensional reservoir displacement with varying amounts of viscous, gravity and capillary interaction, a length-dependent pseudofunction method based upon pseudo fractional flow concepts is compared to results generated through the use of the standard Kyte and Berry method. Results show that in communicating and non-communicating layered models, the proposed length-dependent pseudofunction method provides more accurate estimates of fluid flow behavior.

• OSTI ID: 113410
• Report Number(s): CONF-941131--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
FLOW MODELS
MULTIPHASE FLOW
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING