Gravity effects in miscible displacement
Segregation of hydrocarbons and water can severely reduce the ultimate vertical sweepout efficiency of miscible displacement processes when a mobile water phase is present in all or part of the reservoir. The shape and movement of the oil bank formed during secondary and tertiary projects can be paramount to a successful field operation. Results from a computer model study show that an oil bank formed ahead of an overriding miscible fluid is forced down below the solvent tongue and moved relatively slowly toward the producing well. The oil bank is slowly recovered immiscibly at an extremely low rate by the water injected along with the gas. Thus at the economic limit of the field operation, a substantial amount of the oil displaced by the miscible fluid early in the reservoir life is left unswept at abandonment. Most of this information has been obtained from a 2-phase flow, 2-dimensional mathematical model. (16 refs.)
- OSTI ID:
- 6524260
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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