Assignment and calibration of relative permeability by hydrostratigraphic units for multiphase flow analysis, case study: CO₂-EOR operations at the Farnsworth Unit, Texas

Journal Article · Thu Dec 27 00:00:00 EST 2018 · International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2018.09.014· OSTI ID:1639065

Moodie, Nathan ^[1]; Ampomah, William ^[2]; Jia, Wei ^[1]; Heath, Jason ^[3]; McPherson, Brian ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
2. New Mexico Inst. of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM (United States)
3. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Included in the most critical factors for geological CO₂ storage site screening, selection, and operation is effective simulations of multiphase flow and transport. Relative permeability is probably the greatest source of potential uncertainty in multiphase flow simulation, second only to intrinsic permeability heterogeneity. The specific relative permeability relationship assigned greatly impacts forecasts of CO₂ trapping mechanisms, phase behavior, and long-term plume movement. A primary goal of this study is to evaluate the impacts and implications of different methods of assigning relative permeability relationships for CO₂-EOR model forecasts.

Most simulation studies published in the literature base selection of relative permeability functions on the geologic formation or rock type alone. In this study, we initially implemented reservoir model grids with previously-identified hydrostratigraphic units based on porosity and permeability relationship of the Morrow ‘B’ Sandstone, then assigned relative permeability functions for those hydrostratigraphic units. Specific, constrained relative permeability relationships were created and assigned to each hydrostratigraphic unit using petrophysical data and Mercury Intrusion Capillary Pressure (MICP) measurements, from core samples of each hydrostratigraphic unit. Results of forward simulations with the newly-calibrated models will be compared to those of previous models as well as to simulation results for a range of different relative permeability relationships.

The study site is the Farnsworth Unit (FWU) in the northeast Texas Panhandle, an active CO₂-EOR operation. The target formation is the Morrow ‘B’ Sandstone, a clastic formation composed of medium to course sands.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: Southwest Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration (SWP); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000; FC26-05NT42591; NA0003525
• OSTI ID: 1639065
• Report Number(s): SAND--2020-6394J; 686837
• Journal Information: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Journal Name: International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control Vol. 81; ISSN 1750-5836
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
Carbon dioxide
Carbon sequestration
Hydrostratigraphic unit
Multiphase flow
Numerical modeling
Relative permeability