InterPore2021

Extending a low permeability fluid flow model for transient flow of compressible and slightly compressible fluids.

1 Jun 2021, 19:00

1h

Poster (+) Presentation (MS12) Advances in modeling and simulation of poromechanics Poster +

Speaker

Dr Susan Schrader (Montana Tech)

Description

Darcy’s Law, an important equation relating flow velocity in a porous medium to the permeability of the medium and the viscosity of the fluid, can be extended to form flow models for petroleum fluids in a reservoir by combining it with a fluid model and conservation of mass. The resulting models are central to reservoir engineering. Analytic solutions to these flow models, developed by Van Everdingen and Hurst, are used in well testing and water influx calculations and their numerical solutions form the basis of many reservoir simulation programs.

However, as interest grows in low permeability reservoirs, Darcy’s Law might not be the appropriate starting place. Alternatives to Darcy’s Law include include threshold pressure models and nonlinear pressure models [1]. In this work new flow models are developed by combining these alternatives with conservation of mass, various fluid models and bulk/boundary fluid viscosity models [2].

Future work will involve using finite difference methods to develop numerical simulations of these models to compare to conventional simulation and historical data in petroleum and CO2 sequestration applications.

References

1. Fuquan, S., et al. (2018). Single and Two-Phase Flow Models in Low-Permeability Reservoirs. Petroleum.
2. Huang, Y.Z. et al. (2013). An Overview on Non-Linear Porous Flow in Low Permeability Porous Media. Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Letters. 3, 022001.