A novel approach to modeling unstable EOR displacements. [Unstable miscible and immiscible displacements]

Technical Report · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:6644292

Peters, E J

This report summarizes the progress made in the first year of a three-year research project aimed at developing a methodology for predicting the performance of unstable displacements in heterogeneous reservoirs. A performance prediction approach that combines numerical modeling with laboratory unaging experiments is being developed.Flow visualization experiments are being performed on laboratory corefloods using X-ray computed tomography (CT) and a video imaging workstation to map the insitu fluid saturations in time and space. A systematic procedure is being developed to replicate the experimental image data with high-resolution numerical models of the displacements. The well-tuned numerical models will be used to scale the results of the laboratory experiments to heterogeneous reservoirs in order to predict the performance of unstable displacements in such reservoirs. Several types of reservoir heterogeneities will be considered, from random to highly con-elated heterogeneities. Four CT experiments in cylindrical sandpacks and six video imaging flow visualization experiments in a quarter five-spot glass bead model were completed in the fm year. These experiments resulted in quantitative experimental data that will be used in the numerical modeling subtasks of the research. These include: recovery curves, saturation profiles and saturation image data for unstable first-contact miscible and immiscible displacements. A new procedure for characterizing the small-scale heterogeneities in laboratory cores by CT imaging was developed and tested on a sandpack. Numerical models currently available at the University of Texas were adapted and used to test the feasibility of our proposed modeling approach.

• Research Organization: Texas Univ., Austin, TX (United States). Center for Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC22-90BC14650
• OSTI ID: 6644292
• Report Number(s): DOE/BC/14650-11; ON: DE93012802
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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