Front-tracking of three-dimensional piston-like displacements in porous media

Conference · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:7199465

Kocberber, S; Miller, M A

In this study, a front-tracking method for three-dimensional piston-like displacement is described. Many reservoir processes develop distinct fronts (discontinuities) that move through the reservoir. When the width of the discontinuity is smaller than realistic computation mesh sizes, standard methods are not always adequate. By tracking frontal movement, accurate representation of the front location is provided. This is accomplished by approximating the flow domain as regions of homogenous properties separated by sharp, distinct fronts. Flow is treated as a succession of steady-states based on incompressible fluids. With these assumptions, the potential equation is solved by finite-element methods, and the front moved accordingly. Elements are originally aligned with streamlines based on single-phase flow so that mesh orientation effects are minimized. As the front moves, elements are reformed to represent the discontinuity at the front accurately. The validity of the model is tested against data available in the literature. The model provides an inexpensive and accurate solution for problems such as coning, gravity under- a over-ride, fluid displacement, and movement of chemical reaction or gs condensation fronts, in which movement of the front is of primary concern. The method is applicable to two fluids of any mobility and density contrasts.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Texas
• OSTI ID: 7199465
• Report Number(s): CONF-861080-
• Resource Relation: Conference: Society of Petroleum Engineers annual technical conference and exhibition, New Orleans, LA, USA, 5 Oct 1986
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
FLOW MODELS
OIL WELLS
ACCURACY
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
DENSITY
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
FLUID INJECTION
HYDRODYNAMICS
INCOMPRESSIBLE FLOW
PETROLEUM
POROSITY
RESERVOIR FLUIDS
RESERVOIR ROCK
STEADY-STATE CONDITIONS
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
WELL STIMULATION
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
KINETICS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REACTION KINETICS
RECOVERY
STIMULATION
WELLS
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