Multiporosity flow in fractured low-permeability rocks: Extension to shale hydrocarbon reservoirs

Journal Article · Thu Feb 05 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Water Resources Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2014WR016502· OSTI ID:1184460

Kuhlman, Kristopher L. ^[1]; Malama, Bwalya ^[2]; Heath, Jason E. ^[1]

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1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. California Polytechnic State Univ. (CalPoly), San Luis Obispo, CA (United States)

We presented a multiporosity extension of classical double and triple-porosity fractured rock flow models for slightly compressible fluids. The multiporosity model is an adaptation of the multirate solute transport model of Haggerty and Gorelick (1995) to viscous flow in fractured rock reservoirs. It is a generalization of both pseudo steady state and transient interporosity flow double-porosity models. The model includes a fracture continuum and an overlapping distribution of multiple rock matrix continua, whose fracture-matrix exchange coefficients are specified through a discrete probability mass function. Semianalytical cylindrically symmetric solutions to the multiporosity mathematical model are developed using the Laplace transform to illustrate its behavior. Furthermore, the multiporosity model presented here is conceptually simple, yet flexible enough to simulate common conceptualizations of double and triple-porosity flow. This combination of generality and simplicity makes the multiporosity model a good choice for flow modelling in low-permeability fractured rocks.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 1184460
• Report Number(s): SAND--2014-18319J; 537892
• Journal Information: Water Resources Research, Journal Name: Water Resources Research Vol. 51; ISSN 0043-1397
• Publisher: American Geophysical Union (AGU)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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58 GEOSCIENCES