Coupled geomechanics and flow modeling of thermally induced compaction in heavy oil diatomite reservoirs under cyclic steaming

Blanco-Martín, Laura; Rutqvist, Jonny; Doughty, Christine; Zhang, Yingqi; Finsterle, Stefan; Oldenburg, Curtis M.

doi:10.1016/j.petrol.2016.09.002

Coupled geomechanics and flow modeling of thermally induced compaction in heavy oil diatomite reservoirs under cyclic steaming

Journal Article · Thu Sep 08 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2016.09.002· OSTI ID:1474975

Blanco-Martín, Laura ^[1]; Rutqvist, Jonny ^[1]; Doughty, Christine ^[1]; Zhang, Yingqi ^[1]; Finsterle, Stefan ^[1]; Oldenburg, Curtis M. ^[1]

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

We report shallow, heavy oil diatomite reservoirs produced using cyclic steaming are often associated with significant subsidence. In cases where the pore pressure is not allowed to deplete noticeably, observed subsidence suggests a mechanism other than pressure decline is responsible. We perform coupled flow and geomechanics modeling to determine whether thermally induced compaction of the reservoir rock could play an important role in subsidence. First, we model laboratory-scale tests on diatomite samples subjected to mechanical and thermal loads. During these tests, substantial non-recoverable thermal compaction was measured. Using the modified Cam-clay model as a basis, thermally induced compaction is implemented by reducing the size of the yield surface as a function of temperature. This leads to a satisfactory modeling of the test results. Second, this new approach is used to model a symmetric pattern of wells in a generic heavy oil diatomite field produced using cyclic steaming. Results from simulations that consider or neglect thermally induced diatomite compaction show that thermal effects can potentially induce significant inelastic pore volume reduction and substantial subsidence.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231

OSTI ID:: 1474975

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1396993

Journal Information:: Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, Journal Name: Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering Journal Issue: C Vol. 147; ISSN 0920-4105

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (22)

Formulation and sequential numerical algorithms of coupled fluid/heat flow and geomechanics for multiple porosity materials: FORMULATION AND SEQUENTIAL NUMERICAL ALGORITHMS OF COUPLED FLUID/HEAT Kim, Jihoon; Sonnenthal, Eric L.; Rutqvist, Jonny International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering, Vol. 92, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1002/nme.4340	journal	June 2012
A modeling approach for analysis of coupled multiphase fluid flow, heat transfer, and deformation in fractured porous rock Rutqvist, J.; Wu, Y. -S.; Tsang, C. -F. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, Vol. 39, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1016/S1365-1609(02)00022-9	journal	June 2002
Status of the TOUGH-FLAC simulator and recent applications related to coupled fluid flow and crustal deformations Rutqvist, Jonny Computers & Geosciences, Vol. 37, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cageo.2010.08.006	journal	June 2011
Solving iTOUGH2 simulation and optimization problems using the PEST protocol Finsterle, Stefan; Zhang, Yingqi Environmental Modelling & Software, Vol. 26, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2011.02.008	journal	July 2011
A Liquid Viscosity-Temperature-Chemical Constitution Relation for Organic Compounds van Velzen, D.; Cardozo, R. Lopes; Langenkamp, H. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Fundamentals, Vol. 11, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1021/i160041a004	journal	February 1972
A parametric model for constitutive properties governing multiphase flow in porous media Parker, J. C.; Lenhard, R. J.; Kuppusamy, T. Water Resources Research, Vol. 23, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1029/WR023i004p00618	journal	April 1987
Coupled geomechanics and flow simulation for time‐lapse seismic modeling Minkoff, Susan E.; Stone, C. Mike; Bryant, Steve GEOPHYSICS, Vol. 69, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1190/1.1649388	journal	January 2004
The Displacement of Heavy Oil From Diatomite Using Hot Water and Steam Dietrich, J. K. All Days https://doi.org/10.2118/129705-MS	conference	April 2010
Reservoir Simulation of Cyclic Steam Injection Including the Effects of Temperature Induced Wettability Alteration Hascakir, B. .; Kovscek, A. R. All Days https://doi.org/10.2118/132608-MS	conference	May 2010
Three-Phase Relative Permeability Correlations Baker, L. E. SPE Enhanced Oil Recovery Symposium https://doi.org/10.2118/17369-MS	conference	April 2013
Casing Deformation in Ekofisk Yudovich, A.; Chin, L. Y.; Morgan, D. R. Journal of Petroleum Technology, Vol. 41, Issue 07 https://doi.org/10.2118/17856-PA	journal	July 1989
Effects of Endpoint Saturations and Relative Permeability Models on Predicted Steamflood Performance Kumar, M.; Do, T. N. All Days https://doi.org/10.2118/20202-MS	conference	April 1990
Cyclic Steaming in Heavy Oil Diatomite Kumar, M.; Beatty, F. D. SPE Western Regional Meeting https://doi.org/10.2118/29623-MS	conference	April 2013
Subsidence and Well Failure in the South Belridge Diatomite Field De Rouffignac, E. P.; Bondor, P. L.; Karanikas, J. M. SPE Western Regional Meeting https://doi.org/10.2118/29626-MS	conference	January 1995
Permeability Damage in Diatomite Due to in-situ Silica Dissolution/Precipitation Koh, C. J.; Dagenais, P. C.; Larson, D. C. All Days https://doi.org/10.2118/35394-MS	conference	April 1996
Three-Dimensional Geomechanical Simulation of Reservoir Compaction and Implications for Well Failures in the Belridge Diatomite Fredrich, J. T.; Arguello, J. G.; Thorne, B. J. SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition https://doi.org/10.2118/36698-MS	conference	January 1996
Field-Scale and Wellbore Modeling of Compaction-Induced Casing Failures Hilbert, L. B.; Gwinn, R. L.; Moroney, T. A. SPE Drilling & Completion, Vol. 14, Issue 02 https://doi.org/10.2118/56863-PA	journal	June 1999
Geomechanical Modeling of Reservoir Compaction, Surface Subsidence, and Casing Damage at the Belridge Diatomite Field Fredrich, J. T.; Arguello, J. G.; Deitrick, G. L. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, Vol. 3, Issue 04 https://doi.org/10.2118/65354-PA	journal	August 2000
Analysis of a Successful Cyclic Steam Process at Cymric Field, California Fong, W. S.; Lederhos, L.; Skow, L. A. SPE International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium https://doi.org/10.2118/69702-MS	conference	April 2013
Evaluation of Cyclic Steam Operations at Cymric 1Y Diatomite Ambastha, A. K.; Kumar, M.; Skow, L. A. All Days https://doi.org/10.2118/71500-MS	conference	September 2001
Modeling Thermally Induced Compaction in Diatomite Dietrich, J. K.; Scott, J. D. SPE Journal, Vol. 12, Issue 01 https://doi.org/10.2118/97849-PA	journal	March 2007
Multiphase Inverse Modeling: Review and iTOUGH2 Applications Finsterle, Stefan Vadose Zone Journal, Vol. 3, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.2136/vzj2004.0747	journal	August 2004

Similar Records

Cyclic steaming in heavy oil diatomite

Conference · Sat Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1995 · OSTI ID:403043

Three-dimensional geomechanical simulation of reservoir compaction and implications for well failures in the Belridge diatomite

Conference · Thu Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1996 · OSTI ID:390640

Three-dimensional geomechanical simulation of reservoir compaction and implications for well failures in the Belridge diatomite

Conference · Mon Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1996 · OSTI ID:468123

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
coupled modeling
cyclic steaming
diatomite
ground displacement
heavy oil
thermally induced compaction

Coupled geomechanics and flow modeling of thermally induced compaction in heavy oil diatomite reservoirs under cyclic steaming

Citation Formats

References (22)

Similar Records

Related Subjects