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A Comprehensive Numerical Model for Simulating Fluid Transport in Nanopores
Yuan Zhang1, Wei Yu2, Kamy Sepehrnoori3
1College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
Scientific Reports
|January 17, 2017
Summary
Fluid behavior in nanopores significantly impacts tight oil recovery. This study models multi-well performance considering capillary pressure and complex fractures for improved oil and gas production analysis.
Area of Science:
- Petroleum Engineering
- Reservoir Engineering
- Geosciences
Background:
- Tight oil reservoirs contain numerous nanopores, leading to complex fluid transport due to high capillary pressure.
- Existing research primarily examines single-well performance with simple fractures, neglecting multi-well impacts in complex fracture networks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of confined phase behavior on the cumulative oil and gas production of multiple horizontal wells.
- To analyze the effect of complex fracture geometries and varying capillary pressures on reservoir performance.
Main Methods:
- A numerical model was developed to simulate fluid flow and phase behavior under confinement.
- Pore sizes were categorized, and fluid properties were evaluated using the Peng-Robinson equation of state.
- The Embedded Discrete Fracture Model (EDFM) was employed to explicitly represent hydraulic and natural fractures.
Main Results:
- The study evaluated three distinct fracture geometries: non-planar hydraulic fractures, and those with one or two sets of natural fractures.
- Multi-well performance was analyzed for different capillary pressure levels and reservoir permeabilities (0.01 mD and 0.1 mD).
Conclusions:
- Confined phase behavior significantly affects multi-well production in tight oil reservoirs with complex fracture systems.
- This research provides a more comprehensive understanding of capillarity effects on the performance of multiple wells in intricate geological formations.
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