A new model to predict steam override and viscous fingering in heterogeneous oil reservoirs

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:403072

Godderij, R R; Bruining, J ^[1]

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1. Delft Univ. of Technology (Netherlands)

Early steam breakthrough, often observed in practice, is usually attributed to steam override. In the paper the authors address the question whether viscous fingering and/or channeling have an additional effect on the time of steam breakthrough. They have developed a pseudo 3-D mathematical model for steam drives that can handle steam override, viscous fingering and channeling in 3-D heterogeneous reservoirs. The model incorporates gravity and viscous forces as well as heat losses to the cap and base rock. Capillary forces are not included. They use an interface approach where they decouple heat and mass transfer. They simplify by the vertical equilibrium approximation and reduce the model equations to 2-D. The ensuing model equations are solved by the probabilistic method proposed by King which is designed to model viscous fingering. The method allows 3-D evaluation of steam drive projects in heterogeneous reservoirs without the necessity for expensive fine grid three dimensional simulations.

• OSTI ID: 403072
• Report Number(s): CONF-9603154--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
ENHANCED RECOVERY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OIL WELLS
STEAM INJECTION
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
WELL STIMULATION