Saturation distributions during displacements generated by the simultaneous injection of oil and water

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Reserv. Eng.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5409442

O'Steen, B L; Holm, L W

Linear oil/water displacement behavior in a water-wet Berea sandstone is examined experimentally with a scanning microwave absorption system. It is observed that simultaneous injection of oil and water into a core initially at residual oil saturation (ROS) produces a region of anomalously high oil saturation and fractional flow, or an oil hump, at the leading edge of the displacement. This region grows in both saturation and breadth as the flood progresses. Studies at different injection rates and WOR's indicate that the saturation, fractional flow, and propagation behavior of the oil hump are strongly influenced by rate and ratio. The displacements from ROS confirm the secondary imbibition and drainage results for fractional flow obtained by a sequence of small displacements. A strong hysteresis effect is indicated by these results. The displacements from ROS also reveal the existence of a complex network of inner scanning loops in the steady-state fractional flow behavior. These studies indicate that for sufficiently high injection rate, all displacements above a minimum injected WOR will eventually produce a displacement front approaching that of an oilflood. The frontal saturation and fractional flow for the oilflood case are found to be significantly greater than that predicted by the graphic tangent-point construction of Buckley-Leverett (B-L) theory. This result, along with the observed rate dependence of the hump, suggests that traditional B-L theory, even with fractional flow hysteresis included, might not adequately describe oil/water displacement. It is suggested that transient flow response near a wave front is responsible for the observed displacement behavior.

• Research Organization: Unocal Corp.'s Fred L. Hartley Research Center in Brea, CA (US)
• OSTI ID: 5409442
• Journal Information: SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Reserv. Eng.; (United States), Journal Name: SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) Reserv. Eng.; (United States) Vol. 3:1; ISSN SREEE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUID MECHANICS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDRODYNAMICS
MEASURING METHODS
MECHANICS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
OIL SATURATION
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
RADIATIONS
RECOVERY
RESIDUAL PETROLEUM
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SATURATION
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STIMULATION
SWEEP EFFICIENCY
WATERFLOODING
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS