Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Thermal reservoir simulation'

It is observed that the flowing bottom-hole temperature (FBHT) changes as a result of production, injection or shutting the well down. Variations in temperature mainly occur due to geothermal gradient, injected fluid temperature, frictional heating and the Joule-Thomson effect. The latter is the change of temperature because of expansion or compression of a fluid in a flow process involving no heat transfer or work. CMG STARS thermal simulation sector model developed in this study was used to analyze FBHT changes and understand the reasons. Twenty three main and five additional cases that were developed by using this model were simulated and relation of BHT with other parameters was investigated. Indeed the response of temperature to the change of some parameters such as bottom-hole pressure and gas-oil ratio was detected and correlation was tried to set between these elements. Observations showed that generally FBHT increases when GOR decreases and/or flowing bottom-hole pressure (FBHP) increases. This information allows estimating daily gas-oil ratios from continuously measured BHT. Results of simulation were compared with a real case and almost the same responses were seen. The increase in temperature after the start of water and gas injection or due to stopping of neighboring production wells indicated interwell communications. Additional cases were run to determine whether there are BHT changes when initial temperature was kept constant throughout the reservoir. Different iteration numbers and refined grids were used during these runs to analyze iteration errors
however no significant changes were observed due to iteration number differences and refined grids. These latter cases showed clearly that variations of temperature don&rsquo
t occur only due to geothermal gradient, but also pressure and saturation changes. On the whole, BHT can be used to get data ranging from daily gas-oil ratios to interwell connection if analyzed correctly.

PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO
AGÊNCIA NACIONAL DE PETRÓLEO
As reservas de óleos pesados têm obtido grande importância devido à diminuição das reservas de óleos leves e ao aumento dos preços do petróleo. Porém, precisa-se de aumentar a viscosidades destes óleos pesados para que possam fluir até superfície. Para reduzir a viscosidade foi escolhida a técnica de recuperação térmica SAGD (Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage) pelos seus altos valores de recobro. A redução da viscosidade é atingida pela transmissão de calor ao óleo pela injeção de vapor, porém uma parte deste calor é transmitida à rocha. Esta transmissão de calor junto com a produção de óleo geram uma variação no estado de tensões no reservatório o que por sua vez geram fenômenos geomecânicos. Os simuladores convencionais avaliam de uma forma muito simplificada estes fenômenos geomecânicos, o que faz necessários uma abordagem mais apropriada que acople o escoamento dos hidrocarbonetos e a transmissão de calor com a deformação da rocha. As mudanças no reservatório, especialmente a variação da saturação, afetam as propriedades sísmicas da rocha, as quais podem ser monitoradas para acompanhar o avanço da frente de vapor. A simulação fluxo-térmica-composicional-geomecânica é integrada à sísmica de monitoramento 4D da injeção de vapor (a través da física de rochas). Existe uma grande base de dados, integrada por propriedades dos fluidos do reservatório (PVT) (usado no arquivo de entrada de simulação de fluxo) e uma campanha de mecânica das rochas. Foram simulados vários cenários geomecânicos considerando a plasticidade e variação da permeabilidade. Foram avaliadas várias repostas geomecânicas e de propriedades de fluidos no pico de pressão e final do processo SAGD. A resposta geomecânica pode ser observada, porém foi minimizada devido à baixa pressão de injeção, sendo o mecanismo de transmissão de calor um fator importante na produção de óleo (pela redução da viscosidade) e a separação vertical entre poços. Foi também significativa à contribuição da plasticidade no aumento da produção de hidrocarbonetos. A impedância acústica foi calculada usando a Equação de substituição de fluidos de Gassmann. Os sismogramas sintéticos de incidência normal (para monitorar o avanço da frente o câmara de vapor) mostraram a área afetada pela injeção de vapor, porém com pouca variação devida principalmente à rigidez da rocha.
The heavy oil reserves have gained importance due to the decreasing of the present light oil reserves. Although it is necessary to reduce the oil viscosity and makes it flows to surface. For its high recovery factor the SAGD (Steam Assited Gravity Drainage) thermal process was selected. The viscosity reduction is achieved by heat transfer from steam to oil, but some part of this heat goes to rock frame. This heat transfer together with oil production change the initial in-situ stress field what creates geomechanical effects. The conventional flux simulators have a very simplified approach of geomechanical effects, so it is necessary to consider a more suitable approach that considers the coupling between oil flux and heat transfer with rock deformation. The changes within the reservoir, specially the saturation change, affect the seismical rock properties which can be used to monitor the steam chamber growth. The flux-thermal geomechanics is integrated to steam chamber monitoring 4D seismic (through the rock physics). There is a great data base, integrated by reservoir fluid properties (PVT) (used in reservoir simulation dataset) and a rock mechanics campaign. Several scenaries were simulated considering the plasticity and permeability variation. Several geomechanical responses and flux properties at peak pressure and end of SAGD process were evaluated. The geomechanical response can be observed, but was minimized due to low steam injection pressure, being the heat transfer an important in oil production (for the viscosity reduction) and the vertical well separation, too. The plasticity has a significant contribution in the increment of oil production. Acoustic impedance was calculated by using Gassmann fluid substitution approach. 2D Synthetic seismograms, normal incidence (to monitor the steam camera front advance), showed the area affected by steam injection, but with little variation due principally to rock stiffness.

A global steady increase of energy consumption coupled with the decline of conventional oil resources points to a more aggressive exploitation of heavy oil. Heavy oil is a major source of energy in this century with a worldwide base reserve exceeding 2.5 trillion barrels. Management decisions and production strategies from thermal oil recovery processes are frequently based on reservoir simulation. A proper description of the physical properties, particularly oil viscosity, is essential in performing reliable modeling studies of fluid flow in the reservoir. We simulated cyclic steam injections on the highly viscous Hamaca oil, with a viscosity of over 10,000 cp at ambient temperature, and the production was drastically impacted by up to an order of magnitude when using improper mixing rules to describe the oil viscosity. This thesis demonstrates the importance of these mixing rules and alerts reservoir engineers to the significance of using different options simulators have built in their platforms to describe the viscosity of heavy oils. Log linear and power mixing rules do not provide enough flexibility to describe the viscosity of extra heavy oil with temperature. A recently implemented mixing rule in a commercial simulator has been studied providing satisfactory results. However, the methodology requires substantial interventions, and cannot be automatically updated. We provide guidelines to improve it and suggest more flexible mixing rules that could easily be implemented in commercial simulators. We also provide a methodology to determine the adequate time for each one of the periods in cyclic steam injection: injection, soaking and production. There is a lot of speculation in this matter and one of the objectives of this thesis is to better understand and provide guidelines to optimize oil production using proper lengths in each one of these periods. We have found that the production and injection periods should be similar in time length. Nevertheless, the production period should not be less than the injection period. On the other hand, the soaking period should be as short as possible because it is unproductive time in terms of field oil production for the well and therefore it translates into a negative cash flow for a company.

Orientador: Osvair Vidal Trevisan
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica, Instituto de Geociencias
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Resumo: Métodos térmicos de recuperação, especialmente injeção de vapor, estão à frente da maioria dos projetos de recuperação de óleo pesado em terra. A injeção contínua e, mais recentemente, a injeção de vapor auxiliada por drenagem gravitacional permitem aumentar a recuperação. A razão do volume de vapor injetado por volume de óleo recuperado é um parâmetro decisivo na economicidade de projetos de inundação por vapor. No presente trabalho, um estudo experimental e um numérico na célula linear e um estudo numérico na célula SAGD foram desenvolvidos para entender melhor como a injeção de nitrogênio combinado com vapor contribui ao mecanismo de recuperação e para a possível redução em volume do vapor injetado. O estudo experimental foi conduzido num aparato de laboratório constituído de uma célula linear para a injeção contínua de vapor. Os estudos foram conduzidos em escala de laboratório com óleo pesado da bacia do Espírito Santo. As experiências na célula linear consistiram em injetar vapor ou vapor combinado com nitrogênio para recuperação de óleo. Nas experiências, vapor superaquecido a 170 ° C foi injetado a vazões entre 5 e 4,5 ml/min (equivalente em água fria) e nitrogênio injetado a vazões entre 50 e 180 ml/min. As principais conclusões da investigação (derivadas de cinco experimentos executados com consistentes condições operacionais) são: 1) a injeção de nitrogênio combinado com vapor acelera o início e o pico de produção de petróleo em comparação com a injeção de vapor puro; 2) a melhoria da razão vapor/óleo mostra o efeito benéfico da injeção de nitrogênio em substituição a uma fração substancial de vapor; 3) os volumes recuperados e as análises dos remanescentes apontam fatores de recuperação superiores a 45%. Pelos estudos numéricos, os resultados da modelagem da célula linear mostram frentes de vapor com comportamentos de acordo com os observados experimentalmente. No entanto, uma investigação mais aprofundada sobre o papel dos principais parâmetros utilizados para o ajuste de histórico é necessário. Os resultados simulados do SAGD - Wind Down mostram que 84% da produção do SAGD convencional podem ser recuperados com a metade de volume de vapor injetado, indicando uma redução da razão vapor/óleo de 42%.
Abstract: Thermal recovery methods, especially steam injection, are at the forefront of most onshore projects of heavy oil. The continuous injection and, recently, the steam assisted gravity drainage yield high recoveries. The ratio of the volume of steam injected per volume of produced oil is a decisive parameter in the success of steam flood projects. In the present work, an experimental and a numerical study were developed in the linear cell and a numerical study in the SAGD cell to better understand how the injection of nitrogen combined with steam contributes to the recovery mechanism, and to the possible reduction in volume of the injected steam. The experiment runs were conducted in a linear cell built for the continuous injection of steam. The studies were conducted at the lab scale using heavy oil originated from the Espírito Santo basin. The experiments in the linear cell consisted of continuously injecting steam or steam combined with nitrogen to recover oil. In the experiments, superheated steam at 170 ° C was injected at flow rates between 5 and 4,5 ml/min (cold-water equivalent) and nitrogen injected at rates between 50 and 180 ml/min. The main findings of the research (derived from five runs with consistent operating conditions) are as follows: 1) the injection of nitrogen combined with steam accelerates the start and peak of oil production compared to steam injection alone; 2) the improvement of steam oil ratio shows the beneficial effect of nitrogen injection in substitution to a substantial fraction of steam; 3) results indicates recovery factors exceeding 45%. On the numerical studies, the results from modelling of the linear cell show steam front behaviors in agreement to those observed experimentally. However, further investigation on the role of main parameters used for the history matching is necessary. The simulated results of SAGD - Wind Down shows that 84% of the production of conventional SAGD can be recovered with half of the volume of steam injected, indicating a reduction of steam oil ratio of 42%.
Mestrado
Reservatórios e Gestão
Mestre em Ciências e Engenharia de Petróleo

Orientador: José Ricardo Figueiredo
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica
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Resumo: O objetivo do presente trabalho está na otimização econômica de um sistema com bomba de calor utilizado no aquecimento de água para banho em um edifício com reservatório térmico, para armazenamento de água quente. A otimização da bomba de calor envolve relações termodinâmicas, econômicas, de transferência de calor e mecânica dos fluidos, com o objetivo de obter o menor custo de aquecimento equivalente (CEA) da bomba de calor e do sistema. Dando continuidade a outros trabalhos já realizados na Unicamp, destacam-se neste trabalho a inclusão de perdas de carga na bomba de calor, maiores limites das variáveis não lineares a serem otimizadas, relações de transferência de calor mais realistas e a simulação do reservatório térmico de água, obtendo um volume compatível com a demanda do edifício e a eficiência da bomba de calor, durante sua utilização. No projeto preliminar, é utilizado o método de Substituição - Newton Raphson, obtendo as áreas iniciais de transferência de calor dos trocadores de calor (evaporador e condensador), o coeficiente de desempenho (COP), vazão do fluido refrigerante R- 134a (utilizado na bomba de calor), a potência do compressor, entre outros. No projeto otimizado, os valores obtidos na simulação anterior são considerados como estimativas iniciais no processo de otimização. Nesse processo o algoritmo de otimização escolhido é a Programação Quadrática Sequencial (SQP), disponível na função fmincon do MatLab'MARCA REGISTRADA'. Nas simulações do reservatório térmico, a estimativa de volume foi de 3 a 30 m3, obtendo a variação da temperatura para cada um dos volumes, é avaliado o menor trabalho médio do compressor da bomba de calor, com a variação de cada temperatura do reservatório, para que possa ser escolhido um volume adequado. Na finalização do projeto, são obtidos os melhores valores das áreas de troca de calor do evaporador e condensador, valor mínimo do CEA (função objetivo em questão) e volume do reservatório térmico, conforme condições de perdas de calor do sistema (reservatório e tubulação) e trabalhos de entrada, necessários em seu funcionamento
Abstract: The purpose of this work is the economic optimization of a system with heat pump used to heat water for bathing in a building with a thermal reservoir for hot water storage. Optimization of heat pump involves thermodynamic relations, economics, heat transfer and fluid mechanics, in order to obtain the lowest cost of heating equivalent (CEA) and heat pump system. Continuing to other work already done at Unicamp, stands out in this work to include pressure losses in the heat pump, higher limits of non-linear variables to be optimized, relations of heat transfer and more realistic simulation of the thermal reservoir water obtaining a volume compatible with the demand of the building and the efficiency of the heat pump during its use. In the preliminary design, the method is used Substiution - Newton Raphson, getting the initial areas of heat transfer of heat exchangers (evaporator and condenser), the coefficient of performance (COP), flow of refrigerant R-134a (used in Heat pump), the compressor power, among others. In the optimized design, the values obtained in previous simulation as initial estimates are considered in the optimization process. In this case the optimization algorithm chosen is the Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP), available in the MatLab'TRADE MARK' function fmincon. In simulations of the thermal reservoir, the estimated volume was 3 to 30 m3, resulting temperature variation for each of the volumes is the lowest rated working medium of the heat pump compressor, with the temperature variation in each reservoir, can be chosen so that a suitable volume. At project completion, the best values are obtained from the areas of heat transfer from the evaporator and condenser, the minimum value of CEA (objective function in question) and the thermal reservoir volume, as conditions of heat losses from the system (tank and piping) and work input required for its operation
Mestrado
Termica e Fluidos
Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

Orientador: Osvair Vidal Trevisa
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica e Instituto de Geociências
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Resumo: A combustão in-situ é um processo multiescala, multifísico que envolve simultaneamente o escoamento de fluidos no meio poroso, o equilíbrio de fases e a cinética das reações químicas. A simulação desse processo tem alcançado um elevado grau de desenvolvimento, no entanto, mecanismos básicos ainda são representados de maneira incompleta, impondo inúmeros desafios na modelagem. A dificuldade de modelar fenômenos relacionados com a combustão tem a ver com a representação do efeito da frente de combustão e a modelagem do consumo de combustível. Na combustão in-situ as reações químicas acontecem em uma zona delgada de menos de um metro de espessura, que é pequena quando comparada com a escala do reservatório de centenas ou milhares de metros. Na simulação na escala de campo, o uso de células de tamanho maior do que a zona de reação leva a erros na distribuição da temperatura. Consequentemente, a velocidade das reações não pode ser bem representada. De outro lado, os simuladores não permitem controlar a ocorrência das reações a partir da energia de ativação. Como resultado, o início das reações se torna independente da temperatura. O objetivo desta tese é desenvolver um modelo pseudocinético para a simulação numérica da combustão in-situ na escala de campo. Com o modelo pseudocinético pretende-se representar os fenômenos na zona de combustão, reduzindo o efeito do tamanho de célula. O trabalho foi desenvolvido em etapas. Primeiro foram estabelecidas as condições que o simulador deveria atender e definida a estratégia de abordagem, que foi a de desenvolver um modelo pseudocinético. Depois foi definida a metodologia de obtenção do modelo pseudocinético. Após o modelo pseudocinético concluído, este foi utilizado para a simulação de um campo de óleo pesado brasileiro submetido à combustão in-situ. O modelo pseudocinético proposto consiste em expressar a energia de ativação das reações em função da temperatura. Através do modelo, é possível restringir a ocorrência da reação de craqueamento, de modo que o início da formação do coque aconteça somente para temperaturas acima dos valores observados na zona de craqueamento. Note-se que neste cenário a quantidade de coque depositado pode ser modelada usando a reação de craqueamento, o que se constitui numa das principais contribuições do trabalho. O modelo permite manter a dependência da taxa de reação com a temperatura mediante o uso de valores de energia de ativação apropriados. Além disso, consegue-se reduzir o efeito da distribuição de temperatura mediante o controle da taxa de reação em função dos valores médios de temperatura observados nas células do modelo de simulação na escala de campo. Na simulação do piloto de combustão in-situ, o modelo pseudocinético foi obtido do ajuste progressivo dos parâmetros cinéticos das reações químicas, partindo da simulação do processo na escala de laboratório até a escala de campo. Os dados experimentais utilizados na simulação na escala de laboratório foram obtidos de um ensaio em tubo de combustão seca realizado no Laboratório de Métodos Térmicos de Recuperação do Departamento de Energia da UNICAMP. O fluido utilizado foi um óleo pesado de 15,3 °API proveniente da Bacia do Espírito Santo
Abstract: The in-situ combustion is a multi-scale, multi-physics process, involving fluid flow in porous media, thermodynamic equilibrium of the phases involved and chemical kinetics of reactions. The simulation of this process has achieved a high degree of development, however basic mechanisms are still represented incompletely, imposing numerous challenges in modeling. The issues in the combustion modeling are related with the representation of the combustion front effect and the fuel consumption modeling. Chemical reactions of the in-situ combustion process take place in a thin zone of less than a meter thick, which is small compared to the field scale of hundreds or thousands of meters. Numerical simulations at the field scale typically use grid blocks that are at least two orders of magnitude greater than that. Such divergence leads to improper representations of key aspects of the process, as the temperature distribution and the reaction kinetics. In accordance with that the reaction occurrence is not controlled by the activation energy in the simulation models. The major shortcome is on fuel deposition, a key issue in in-situ combustion, which will happen from the start, since the cracking reaction may proceed even at reservoir temperature. The objective of this thesis is to develop a new pseudokinetic model for field-scale simulation of in-situ combustion. With the pseudokinetic model meant to improve the representation of the combustion zone effects reducing the gridblock size effect. The work was carried out in stages. First establishes the conditions that the simulator should meet and defined the strategy to develop a pseudokinetic model. Then a methodology was defined for obtaining the pseudokinetic model. After the pseudokinetic model is completed, it is applied to the in-situ combustion modeling of a Brazilian heavy oil field. The models pursue the idea of making the activation energy a function of the grid block temperature. The model allows restricting the cracking reaction occurrence by the temperature, so that the beginning of the coke deposition occurs at temperatures greater than the temperature observed in the cracking zone. Note that in this scenario the cracking reaction can be used to represent the coke deposition, which constitutes one of the main contributions of this work. The model allows maintaining the dependence of reaction rate with temperature through the use of appropriate activation energy values. Furthermore, the model reduces the temperature distribution effect by controlling the reaction rate based on average temperature values observed in the field simulation model. In the simulation of the in-situ combustion pilot, the pseudokinetic model was obtained from the progressive tuning of the kinetic parameters of chemical reactions, based on the simulation of the process from the laboratory to field scale. The experimental data used in the laboratory scale simulation were obtained from a dry combustion tube test carried out at the Thermal Recovery Methods Laboratory of the Energy Department at UNICAMP. The fluid used was a 15.3 ° API heavy oil from the Espírito Santo Basin
Doutorado
Reservatórios e Gestão
Doutora em Ciências e Engenharia de Petróleo

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Steam assisted gravity drainage process (SAGD) involves two parallel horizontal wells located in a same vertical plane, where the top well is used as steam injector and the bottom well as producer. The dominant force in this process is gravitational. This improved oil recovery method has been demonstrated to be economically viable in commercial projects of oil recovery for heavy and extra heavy oil, but it is not yet implemented in Brazil. The study of this technology in reservoirs with characteristics of regional basins is necessary in order to analyze if this process can be used, minimizing the steam rate demand and improving the process profitability. In this study, a homogeneous reservoir was modeled with characteristics of Brazilian Northeast reservoirs. Simulations were accomplished with STARS , a commercial software from Computer Modelling Group, which is used to simulate improved oil recovery process in oil reservoirs. In this work, a steam optimization was accomplished in reservoirs with different physical characteristics and in different cases, through a technical-economic analysis. It was also studied a semi-continuous steam injection or with injection stops. Results showed that it is possible to use a simplified equation of the net present value, which incorporates earnings and expenses on oil production and expenses in steam requirement, in order to optimize steam rate and obtaining a higher net present value in the process. It was observed that SAGD process can be or not profitable depending on reservoirs characteristics. It was also obtained that steam demand can still be reduced injecting in a non continuous form, alternating steam injection with stops at several time intervals. The optimization of these intervals allowed to minimize heat losses and to improve oil recovery
O processo de drenagem gravitacional com inje??o cont?nua de vapor (SAGD) envolve dois po?os horizontais paralelos localizados em uma mesma vertical, onde o po?o superior ? usado como injetor de vapor e o inferior como produtor. A for?a dominante neste processo ? a gravitacional. Este m?todo de recupera??o avan?ada tem sido demonstrado ser economicamente vi?vel em projetos comerciais de recupera??o de petr?leo pesado e extra pesado, mas ainda n?o foi implementado no Brasil. O estudo desta tecnologia em reservat?rios com caracter?sticas das bacias regionais ? necess?rio para analisar como se ad?qua o processo para minimizar a demanda de vapor obtendo a maior rentabilidade do processo. Neste estudo foi usado um modelo homog?neo com caracter?sticas de reservat?rios do Nordeste Brasileiro. As simula??es foram realizadas em um programa comercial da Computer Modelling Group , o STARS , m?dulo usado para realizar estudos de m?todos de recupera??o avan?ada de reservat?rios de ?leo. Neste trabalho, foi realizada uma otimiza??o do vapor em reservat?rios com diferentes caracter?sticas f?sicas e em diferentes cen?rios, atrav?s de uma an?lise t?cnico-econ?mica. Tamb?m foi estudada a inje??o de vapor semi-cont?nua ou com paradas. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que ? poss?vel utilizar uma equa??o simplificada do valor presente l?quido, que incorpora os ganhos e gastos na produ??o de ?leo e os gastos na inje??o de vapor, para otimizar a demanda do vapor obtendo um maior valor presente l?quido no processo. Observou-se que o m?todo (SAGD) pode ser ou n?o rent?vel dependendo das caracter?sticas do reservat?rio. Encontrou-se tamb?m que a necessidade de vapor pode ainda ser diminu?da utilizando esquemas de inje??o de vapor com paradas em intervalos de tempo otimizados, e isto permitiu minimizar as perdas de calor e melhorar a recupera??o.

Dans le cadre du stockage géologique de gaz acides, il est impératif de garantir l'intégrité des matériaux sollicités afin d'assurer un confinement pérenne du fluide injecté. Le but de ce travail de thèse est d'étudier, par le biais de modélisations expérimentales, les phénomènes pouvant être responsables de la déstabilisation du système et qui peuvent conduire à des fuites du gaz stocké. Le premier modèle expérimental, appelé COTAGES a permis d'étudier les effets de la déstabilisation thermique provoquée par l'injection d'un gaz à température ambiante dans un réservoir chaud. Ce dispositif a permis de mettre en évidence un transfert de matière important depuis la zone froide (30°C) vers la zone chaude (100°C) conduisant à des modifications des propriétés pétrophysiques. Ces résultats soulignent l'importance de la température d'injection sur la conservation des propriétés d'injectivité du système. Le second modèle, appelé "Sandwich" a permis d'étudier le comportement de l?interface entre la roche couverture (argilite COX) et le ciment de puits. Les expériences batch du modèle Sandwich en présence de CO2 ont permis de mettre en évidence une fracturation de l'interface provoquée par la carbonatation précoce du ciment. Ces résultats soulignent l'importance de l'état initial de la roche couverture dans la séquestration du fluide injecté. Le troisième modèle expérimental est le modèle MIRAGES. Ce dispositif innovant permet d'injecter en continu un flux de CO2 dans un échantillon. Les résultats ont mis en évidence un colmatage partiel de la porosité inter-oolithe à proximité du puits d'injection, ainsi qu'une carbonatation du ciment sous la forme d'un assemblage calcite/aragonite
In the framework of the CO2 storage, it is crucial to ensure the integrity of the solicited materials in order to guarantee the permanent confinement of the sequestrated fluids. Using experimental simulation the purpose of this work is to study the mechanisms which could be responsible for the system destabilization and could lead CO2 leakage from the injection well. The first experimental model, called COTAGES allows studying the effects of the thermal destabilisation caused by the injection of a fluid at 25°C in a hotter reservoir (submitted to the geothermal gradient). This device allows demonstrating an important matter transfer from the cold area (30°C) toward the hot area (100°C). These results highlight the importance of the injection temperature on the injectivity properties and on the possible petrophysical evolutions of the near well. The second model, called ?Sandwich?, allow studying the behaviour of the interface between caprock (COX argillite) and well cement. Indeed, interfaces between the different rock and the well materials represent a weakness area (differential reactivity, fracturing?). Batch experiments carried out with this device in presence of CO2 show the fracturing of the interface caused by the early carbonation of the cement. The third experimental model, called MIRAGES is an innovative device which allows injecting continuously CO2 in a core sample. Samples made of Lavoux limestone and well cement reproduce the injection well at 1/20 scale. Results show a partial filling of the inter-oolithic porosity close to the injection well, and also the carbonation of the cement according to an assemblage of calcite/aragonite

Hot water discharges and potential chemical spills are factors that threaten water quality in cooling reservoirs of chemical and power plants. In this thesis, three models are used to analyze the impact of these factors in a particular case study.

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The application of thermal methods, to increase the recovery of heavy oil in mature fields through drainage with multilateral and horizontal wells, has been thoroughly studied, theorically, experimentally, testing new tools and methods. The continuous injection of steam, through a steam injector well and a horizontal producer well in order to improve horizontal sweep of the fluid reservoir, it is an efficient method. Starting from an heterogeneous model, geologically characterized, modeling geostatistics, set history and identification of the best path of permeability, with seismic 3D, has been dubbed a studying model. It was studied horizontal wells in various directions in relation to the steam and the channel of higher permeability, in eight different depths. Into in the same area were studied, the sensitivity of the trajectories of horizontal wells, according to the depth of navigation. With the purpose of obtaining the highest output of oil to a particular flow, quality, temperature and time for the injection of steam. The wells studied showed a significant improvement in the cumulative oil recovery in one of the paths by promoting an alternative to application in mature fields or under development fields with heavy oil
A aplica??o de m?todos t?rmicos, para aumentar a recupera??o de ?leo pesado em campos maduros atrav?s da drenagem com po?os horizontais e multilaterais, tem sido exaustivamente estudada, te?rica e experimentalmente, testando novas ferramentas e novos m?todos. A inje??o cont?nua de vapor, atrav?s de um po?o injetor e de um po?o horizontal produtor com o objetivo de proporcionar uma varredura dos fluidos do reservat?rio, mostra-se um m?todo eficiente. Partindo de um modelo heterog?neo, geologicamente caracterizado por, modelagem geoestat?stica, ajuste de hist?rico e identifica??o do melhor caminho de permeabilidade, com a s?smica 3D, foi montado um modelo para estudo. Foram estudados po?os horizontais em v?rias dire??es em rela??o ao injetor de vapor e ao canal de maior permeabilidade, em oito profundidades diferentes. Dentro de uma mesma zona foram estudadas, a sensibilidade das trajet?rias de po?os horizontais, em fun??o da profundidade de navega??o. Com a finalidade de obter a maior produ??o acumulada de ?leo a uma determinada vaz?o, qualidade, temperatura e per?odo de inje??o do vapor. Os po?os estudados evidenciam uma melhora significativa na recupera??o acumulada de ?leo em uma das trajet?rias, promovendo uma alternativa de aplica??o em campos maduros ou em desenvolvimento com ?leo pesado

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Electrical resistive heating (ERH) is a thermal method used to improve oil recovery. It can increase oil rate and oil recovery due to temperature increase caused by electrical current passage through oil zone. ERH has some advantage compared with well-known thermal methods such as continuous steam flood, presenting low-water production. This method can be applied to reservoirs with different characteristics and initial reservoir conditions. Commercial software was used to test several cases using a semi-synthetic homogeneous reservoir with some characteristics as found in northeast Brazilian basins. It was realized a sensitivity analysis of some reservoir parameters, such as: oil zone, aquifer presence, gas cap presence and oil saturation on oil recovery and energy consumption. Then it was tested several cases studying the electrical variables considered more important in the process, such as: voltage, electrical configurations and electrodes positions. Energy optimization by electrodes voltage levels changes and electrical settings modify the intensity and the electrical current distribution in oil zone and, consequently, their influences in reservoir temperature reached at some regions. Results show which reservoir parameters were significant in order to improve oil recovery and energy requirement in for each reservoir. Most significant parameters on oil recovery and electrical energy delivered were oil thickness, presence of aquifer, presence of gas cap, voltage, electrical configuration and electrodes positions. Factors such as: connate water, water salinity and relative permeability to water at irreducible oil saturation had low influence on oil recovery but had some influence in energy requirements. It was possible to optimize energy consumption and oil recovery by electrical variables. Energy requirements can decrease by changing electrodes voltages during the process. This application can be extended to heavy oil reservoirs of high depth, such as offshore fields, where nowadays it is not applicable any conventional thermal process such as steam flooding
O Aquecimento El?trico Resistivo (AER) ? um m?todo t?rmico usado para aumentar a recupera??o de petr?leo. Este aumenta a vaz?o de ?leo e conseq?entemente a recupera??o de petr?leo devido ao aumento de temperatura promovida pela passagem de corrente el?trica na zona de interesse. O AER tem algumas vantagens sobre m?todos t?rmicos conhecidos, como inje??o cont?nua de vapor, por apresentar baixa produ??o de ?gua, podendo ser aplicado a reservat?rios com diversas caracter?sticas e diversas condi??es iniciais. Um software comercial foi usado para testar v?rios casos usando um reservat?rio homog?neo semi-sint?tico com algumas caracter?sticas encontradas em reservat?rio da bacia sedimentar do Nordeste Brasileiro. Foi realizada uma an?lise de sensibilidade dos par?metros de reservat?rio, tais como: espessura da zona de ?leo, presen?as de capa de g?s e de aq??fero e satura??o de ?leo, na recupera??o de ?leo e consumo de energia el?trica. V?rios casos foram testados usando vari?veis el?tricas consideradas mais importantes no processo, tais como: tens?o, configura??es el?tricas e posi??es dos eletrodos. Os resultados mostram que os par?metros de reservat?rio foram significativos no sentido de aumentar a recupera??o de ?leo e a demanda de energia em cada reservat?rio. Os par?metros mais significativos na recupera??o de ?leo e no consumo de energia foram: a espessura da zona de ?leo, presen?as de capa de g?s e de aq??fero, as configura??es el?tricas e a posi??o dos eletrodos. Fatores como: satura??o irredut?vel de ?gua, salinidade da ?gua e a permeabilidade relativa da ?gua na satura??o residual de ?leo tiveram pouca influ?ncia na recupera??o de ?leo, mas tiveram uma influ?ncia maior na demanda de energia. Foi poss?vel otimizar o consumo de energia com a recupera??o de ?leo usando as vari?veis el?tricas. Estas aplica??es podem ser estendidas para reservat?rios de ?leo pesado e de grande profundidade, como em campos mar?timos (offshore), onde atualmente n?o ? poss?vel o uso de m?todos t?rmicos convencionais de recupera??o, como a inje??o de vapor

Le cadre général de la thèse concerne la valorisation sous forme de production d'énergie électrique de la chaleur présente à quelques kilomètres de profondeur (3 à 5 km), en général dans des milieux peu perméables et fracturés. Notre objectif principal est d'étudier le phénomène des microséismes induits relativement au refroidissement, en nous basant sur une expérience de terrain de longue durée, menée sur le site de Rosemanowes (Cornwall, UK). Pour cela nous avons procédé à la mise en place d'un outil de calcul, FRACAS, capable de simuler ce phénomène en introduisant une approche à double milieu thermique pour mieux simuler le refroidissement du réservoir dû à l'injection de fluide à long terme, responsable des nouveaux mécanismes de ruptures dus à la traction de la roche. Dans ce contexte nous avons introduit un nouvel algorithme pour prendre en compte les manifestations d'instabilités, un mécanisme de « stick-slip » avec prise en compte d'une friction statique et d'une friction dynamique. La possibilité d'induire des microséismes est ensuite étudiée à partir des données issues d'un site particulier, avec deux modèles 3D proposant des approches géométriques différentes, un modèle déterministe et un modèle stochastique, dont les propriétés géométriques et physiques ont été tirées des observations et travaux antérieurs effectués sur ce site de Rosemanowes. La simulation thermo-hydro-mécanique (THM) du modèle déterministe nous a permis de modéliser les échanges thermiques en régime transitoire dans le réservoir formé par le système de forages RH12/RH15 et d'estimer un ordre de grandeur des tractions d'origine thermique. Pour mieux étudier l'effet induit par la contraction des blocs de roche dans le temps nous utilisons le modèle 3D stochastique dont l'objectif principal est de simuler de façon plus réaliste la progression dans l'espace les ruptures en cisaillement. Avec ce modèle nous avons constaté l'apparition différée d'une activité et l'effet d'un cycle de pulses de pression, ce qui suggère un moyen d'atténuer les fortes magnitudes potentielles des ruptures en cisaillement dues au refroidissement
The general framework of our research deals with the development of geothermal energy for electricity production using the heat stored in geological formations at depths ranging in 3 to 5 km, Generally the environment is poorly permeable and fractured. Our main objective is to study the phenomenon of induced micro-earthquakes in relation to the cooling of the rock. The work is based on field experiences including long duration tests, conducted on the Rosemanowes site (Cornwall, UK). For this, we proceeded to the development of a calculation tool, FRACAS, able to simulate this phenomenon by introducing a dual thermal approach to better simulate the cooling of the reservoir due to long term fluid injections, which might be responsible for new failure mechanisms due to the induced tractions. In this context, we introduced a new algorithm to describe shear in stabilities, a mechanism of "stick-slip" type with the consideration of static/dynamic friction coefficients. The possibility of inducing micro-seismicity is then studied using the in situ data base, with two 3D models offering different geometric approaches, a deterministic model and a stochastic model whose geometrical and physical properties were obtained from observations and previous work on this Rosemanowes site. The Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical (THM) simulation using the deterministic model has allowed us to calibrate the transient heat transfer in the reservoir formed by the drilling system RH12/RH15 and to give an estimate of tensile stress of thermal origin. To better study the effect induced by the contraction of the rock during time, we use the stochastic 3D model whose main objective is to simulate a more realistic spatial migration of shear ruptures. With this model we found a delayed onset of shear activity and discuss the effect of pressure step tests. The results suggest a way to mitigate the potential impact of shear ruptures due to cooling

Orientador: Osvair Vidal Trevisan
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica e Instituto de Geociencias
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Resumo: A injeção de vapor auxiliada por drenagem gravitacional em poço único, denominada SWSAGD (Single Well Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage), é um processo de recuperação terciária desenvolvido com um único poço horizontal. Foram estudadas diversas estratégias, através de simulação numérica, visando a aplicação desta técnica com dados pertinentes a um campo da bacia do Espírito Santo. As estratégias têm diferentes opções como a injeção cíclica prévia e a colocação de obturadores no poço produtor. O desempenho do processo de recuperação para as diferentes estratégias é comparado sempre com aquele obtido para o processo do Dual Well - SAGD para as mesmas condições. São feitas também comparações com a produção primária por poço horizontal e entre as diversas estratégias geradas. A influência de alguns parâmetros - comprimento e posição entre poços, zona de injeção e produção - são apresentados. Com todas estas estratégias de melhoria para o processo SW-SAGD, alcança-se um processo com recuperação maior que os resultados decorrentes do SAGD tradicional com dois poços.
Abstract: The Single Well Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SW-SAGD) is a tertiary recovery process developed with an single horizontal well. The objective of this research is to study, with numerical simulation, the application of the SW-SAGD technique to a field dates located in the Espírito Santo Basin. Several strategies were studied for this process using previous cyclic injection and packers. The strategies improved the horizontal well production and enhanced the oil recovery. Comparisons are made along the study between the performance of oil recovery for the developed strategies and the performance of the DW-SAGD at the same operating and field conditions. Comparisons with the primary recovery using horizontal wells and between the strategies were used to improve and choose the best options. The influence of some parameters - length and position between wells, injection and production zones - are presented. As a result of all the improvement, a new strategy for the SW-SAGD process is reached, providing an oil recovery higher than from the DW-SAGD.
Mestrado
Reservatórios e Gestão
Mestre em Ciências e Engenharia de Petróleo

Orientador: Osvair Vidal Trevisan
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica e Instituto de Geociências
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Resumo: A previsão de comportamento de reservatórios submetidos a combustão in-situ é trabalhosa e empírica já que além das complexidades geológicas, é necessário modelar a complexidade do hidrocarboneto de reservatório e das reações químicas que ocorrem no processo. As etapas de projeto de campo costumam envolver 1) seleção de reservatório; 2) experimentos termo-analíticos; 3) experimentos em tubo de combustão; 4) aplicação de métodos analíticos; 5) simulação numérica; 6) calibração dos modelos analíticos e numéricos através de dados de projeto piloto. O escopo de trabalho desta dissertação está concentrado nas Etapas 4 e 5 deste processo e o foco é a previsão de comportamento de projetos de campo. Propõe-se uma metodologia de mudança de escala para tratamento de dados advindos de laboratório para uso em previsão de comportamento. Adapta-se um equacionamento clássico de projeto de campo de Nelson e Mcneil (1961) para agregar o conceito de velocidade mínima de frente de chama. Para avaliar a extensão dos resultados obtidos com os experimentos em células de combustão 3D de Coates et al (1995) e de Greaves e Turta (2003), que foram realizados para testar as configurações de poço top-down e thai respectivamente, realiza-se simulações em escala de laboratório para reproduzir uma célula de combustão 3D, e avalia-se o impacto de diversos parâmetros de modelagem, como a composição dos fluidos e as reações químicas, além de parâmetros operacionais. Nestas simulações foi possível reproduzir maior complexidade do modelo de fluidos e das reações químicas, incluindo reações de adição de oxigênio e de quebra de cadeia. Foi possível ainda reproduzir a dependência entre estas reações, fazendo com que o combustível para as reações de quebra de cadeia fosse gerado nas reações de adição de oxigênio. Utilizou-se uma malha tão refinada quanto as dimensões da frente de chama, de forma que se controlou a evolução das reações pela temperatura. Para exemplificar a metodologia proposta de mudança de escala e de projeto de campo, utilizou-se os experimentos em tubo de combustão de Gonçalves (2010). Os parâmetros projetados foram aplicados em simulações em escala de campo, onde a evolução das reações químicas foi controlada pela velocidade. Definiu-se uma velocidade mínima para avanço da frente de chama através de tratamento dos dados advindos dos experimentos em tubo de combustão e aplicou-se no modelo de simulação, onde se investigou a capacidade de previsão da evolução da frente de chama em um cenário com propriedades geológicas heterogêneas
Abstract: Behavior forecast of reservoirs subjected to in-situ combustion is hard and empirical since besides geological complexities it is necessary to reproduce complex fluid models and several chemical reactions that are part of the process. The work flow for field project usually involves: 1) reservoir screening; 2) thermo-analytical experiments; 3) combustion tube experiments; 4) use of analytical models; 5) numerical simulation and 6) fitting of analytical and numerical models with field pilot data. The present work concerns the fourth and fifth stages of this process and the focus is behavior forecast of field projects. A methodology for upscaling laboratory results for application in behavior forecast is proposed. The classical Nelson and Mcneil (1961) field project equations are adapted to account for the minimum velocity of the combustion front. In order to evaluate the extension of the results obtained by Coates et al (1995) and Greaves and Turta (2003) with 3D combustion cells, wich were carried to test the thai and top-down well configuration respectively, laboratory scale numerical simulation that reproduces a 3D combustion cell is conducted and the influence of several modeling parameters, such as fluid composition and chemical reactions, is tested, along with operational parameters. In this simulations, a greater complexity in the fluid and reaction model is possible with both oxygen addition and bond scission reactions. It is also possible to model the dependency between reactions, making the reactant of high temperature reactions to be formed in low temperature reactions. A grid refinement in the same size of the combustion front is used and chemical reactions continuity is controlled through temperature. Data from the combustion tube experiments from Gonçalves (2010) are used to exemplify and apply the upscaling and field project methodology. The obtained project parameters are used as input for field scale numerical simulation, where the chemical reactions continuity is controlled through velocity. A minimum combustion front velocity is defined and applied in the simulation model, where the capacity of forecast of the combustion front migration in an heterogeneous geological context is evaluated
Mestrado
Reservatórios e Gestão
Mestre em Ciências e Engenharia de Petróleo

Developing hybrid processes for heavy oil recovery is a major area of interest in recent years. The need for such processes originates from the challenges of heavy oil recovery relating to fluid injectivity, reservoir heating, and oil displacement and production. These challenges are particularly profound in shaley thin oil deposits where steam injection is not feasible and other recovery methods should be employed. In this work, we aim to develop and optimize a hybrid process that involves moderate reservoir heating and chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR). This process, in its basic form, is a three-stage scheme. The first stage is a short electrical heating, in which the reservoir temperature is raised just enough to create fluid injectivity. After electrical heating has created sufficient fluid injectivity, high-rate high-pressure hot water injection accelerates the raise in temperature of the reservoir and assists oil production. At the end of hot waterflooding the oil viscosities are low enough for an Alkali-Co-solvent-Polymer (ACP) chemical flood to be performed where oil can efficiently be mobilized and displaced at low pressure gradients. A key aspect of ultra-low IFT chemical flood, such as ACP, is the rheology of the microemulsions that form in the reservoir. Undesirable rheology impedes the displacement of the chemical slug in the reservoir and results in poor process performance or even failure. The viscosity of microemulsions can be altered by the addition of co-solvents and branched or twin-tailed co-surfactants and by an increase in temperature. To reveal the underlying mechanisms, a consistent theoretical framework was developed. Employing the membrane theory and electrostatics, the significance of charge and/or composition heterogeneity in the interface membrane and the relevance of each to the above-mentioned alteration methods was demonstrated. It was observed that branched co-surfactants (in mixed surfactant formulations) and temperature only modify the saddle-splay modulus (k ̅) and bending modulus (k) respectively, whereas co-solvent changes both moduli. The observed rheological behavior agrees with our findings. To describe the behavior of microemulsions in flow simulations, a rheological model was developed. A key feature of this model is the treatment of the microemulsion as a bi-network. This provides accuracy and consistency in the calculation of the zero-shear viscosity of a microemulsion regardless of its type and microstructure. Once model parameters are set, the model can be used at any concentration and shear rate. A link between the microemulsion rheological behavior and its microstructure was demonstrated. The bending modulus determines the magnitude of the viscous dissipations and the steady-shear behavior. The new model, additionally, includes components describing the effects of rheology alteration methods. Experimental viscosity data were used to validate the new microemulsion viscosity model. Several ACP corefloods showing the large impact of microemulsion viscosity on process performance were matched using the UTCHEM simulator with the new microemulsion rheology model added to the code. Finally, numerical simulations based on Peace River field data were performed to investigate the performance of the proposed hybrid thermal-chemical process. Key design parameters were identified to be the method of heating, duration of the heating, ACP slug size and composition, polymer drive size, and polymer concentration in the polymer drive. An optimization study was done to demonstrate the economic feasibility of the process. The optimization revealed that short electrical heating and high-rate high-pressure waterflooding are necessary to minimize the energy use and operational expenses. The optimum slug and polymer drive sizes were found to be ~0.25 PV and ~1 PV, respectively. It was shown that the well costs dominate the expenditure and the overall cost of the optimized process is in the range of 20-30 $⁄bbl of incremental oil production.
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Thermal properties of pure methane hydrate, under conditions similar to naturally occurring hydrate-bearing sediments being considered for potential production, have been determined both by a new experimental technique and by advanced molecular dynamics simulation (MDS). A novel single-sided, Transient Plane Source (TPS) technique has been developed and used to measure thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity values of low-porosity methane hydrate formed in the laboratory. The experimental thermal conductivity data are closely matched by results from an equilibrium MDS method using in-plane polarization of the water molecules. MDS was also performed using a non-equilibrium model with a fully polarizable force field for water. The calculated thermal conductivity values from this latter approach were similar to the experimental data. The impact of thermal conductivity on gas production from a hydrate-bearing reservoir was also evaluated using the Tough+/Hydrate reservoir simulator (Revised version of ICGH paper 5646).

A significant amount of Viscous Oil (e.g., heavy oil, extra heavy oil, and bitumen) is trapped in Naturally Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs also known as NFCRs. The word VO endowment in NFCRs is estimated at ~ 2 Trillion barrels mostly reported in Canada, the USA, Russia, and the Middle East. To date, contributions to the world daily oil production from this immense energy resource remains negligible mainly due to the lack of appropriate production technologies. Implementation of a VO production technology such as steam injection is expensive (high capital investment), time-consuming, and people-intensive. Hence, before selecting a production technology for detailed economic analysis, use of cursory or broad screening tools or guides is a convenient means of gaining a quick overview of the technical feasibility of the various possible production technologies applied to a particular reservoir. Technical screening tools are only available for the purpose of evaluation of the reservoir performance parameters in oil sands for various thermal VO exploitation technologies such as Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD), Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS), Horizontal well Cyclic steam Stimulation (HCS), and so on. Nevertheless, such tools are not applicable for VO NFCRs assessment without considerable modifications due to the different nature of these two reservoir types (e.g., presence and effects of fracture network on reservoir behavior, wettability, lithology, fabric, pore structure, and so on) and also different mechanisms of energy and mass transport. Considering the lack of robust and rapid technical reservoir screening tools for the purpose of quick assessment and performance prediction for VO NFCRs under thermal stimulation (e.g., steamflooding), developing such fast and precise tools seems inevitable and desirable. In this dissertation, an attempt was made to develop new screening tools for the purpose of reservoir performance prediction in VO NFCRs using all the field and laboratory available data on a particular thermal technology (vertical well steamflooding). Considering the complex and heterogeneous nature of the NFCRs, there is great uncertainty associated with the geological nature of the NFCRs such as fracture and porosity distribution in the reservoir which will affect any modeling tasks aiming at modeling of processes involved in thermal VO production from these types of technically difficult and economically unattractive reservoirs. Therefore, several modeling and analyses technqiues were used in order to understand the main parameters controlling the steamflooding process in NFCRs and also cope with the uncertainties associated with the nature of geologic, reservoir and fluid properties data. Thermal geomechanics effects are well-known in VO production from oil sands using thermal technologies such as SAGD and cyclic steam processes. Hence, possible impacts of thermal processes on VO NFCRs performance was studied despite the lack of adequate field data. This dissertation makes the following contributions to the literature and the oil industry: Two new statistical correlations were developed, introduced, and examined which can be utilized for the purpose of estimation of Cumulative Steam to Oil Ratio (CSOR) and Recovery Factor (RF) as measures of process performance and technical viability during vertical well steamflooding in VO Naturally Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs (NFCRs). The proposed correlations include vital parameters such as in situ fluid and reservoir properties. The data used are taken from experimental studies and also field trials of vertical well steamflooding pilots in viscous oil NFCRs reported in the literature. The error percentage for the proposed correlations is < 10% for the worst case and contains fewer empirical constants compared with existing correlations for oil sands. The interactions between the parameters were also considered. The initial oil saturation and oil viscosity are the most important predictive factors. The proposed correlations successfully predicted steam/oil ratios and recovery factors in two heavy oil NFCRs. These correlations are reported for the first time in the literature for this type of VO reservoirs. A 3-D mathematical model was developed, presented, and examined in this research work, investigating various parameters and mechanisms affecting VO recovery from NFCRs using vertical well steamflooding. The governing equations are written for the matrix and fractured medium, separately. Uncertainties associated with the shape factor for the communication between the matrix and fracture is eliminated through setting a continuity boundary condition at the interface. Using this boundary condition, the solution method employed differs from the most of the modeling simulations reported in the literature. A Newton-Raphson approach was also used for solving mass and energy balance equations. RF and CSOR were obtained as a function of steam injection rate and temperature and characteristics of the fractured media such as matrix size and permeability. The numerical solution clearly shows that fractures play an important role in better conduction of heat into the matrix part. It was also concluded that the matrix block size and total permeability are the most important parameters affecting the dependent variables involved in steamflooding. A hybrid Artificial Neural Network model optimized by co-implementation of a Particle Swarm Optimization method (ANN-PSO) was developed, presented, and tested in this research work for the purpose of estimation of the CSOR and RF during vertical well steamflooding in VO NFCRs. The developed PSO-ANN model, conventional ANN models, and statistical correlations were examined using field data. Comparison of the predictions and field data implies superiority of the proposed PSO-ANN model with an absolute average error percentage < 6.5% , a determination coefficient (R2) > 0.98, and Mean Squared Error (MSE) < 0.06, a substantial improvement in comparison with conventional ANN model and empirical correlations for prediction of RF and CSOR. This indicates excellent potential for application of hybrid PSO-ANN models to screen VO NFCRs for steamflooding. This is the first time that the ANN technique has been applied for the purpose of performance prediction of steamflooding in VO NFCRs and also reported in the literature. The predictive PSO-ANN model and statistical correlations have strong potentials to be merged with heavy oil recovery modeling softwares available for thermal methods. This combination is expected to speed up their performance, reduce their uncertainty, and enhance their prediction and modeling capabilities. An integrated geological-geophysical-geomechanical approach was designed, presented, and applied in the case of a NFCR for the purpose of fracture and in situ stresses characterization in NFCRs. The proposed methodology can be applied for fracture and in situ stresses characterization which is beneficial to various aspects of asset development such as well placement, drilling, production, thermal reservoir modeling incorporating geomechanics effects, technology assessment and so on. A conceptual study was also conducted on geomechanics effects in VO NFCRs during steamflooding which is not yet well understood and still requires further field, laboratory, and theoretical studies. This can be considered as a small step forward in this area identifying positive potential of such knowledge to the design of large scale thermal operations in VO NFCRs.

Für eine effiziente und nachhaltige Nutzung von Georeservoiren sind bestmögliche Reservoirmanagementverfahren erforderlich. Oft setzen diese Verfahren auf Tracer-Tests. Dabei enthalten die aufgezeichneten Tracersignale integrale Informationen der Reservoireigenschaften. Tracer-Tests bieten somit eine leistungsfähige Technik zur Charakterisierung und Überwachung der bewirtschafteten Georeservoire. Im Gegensatz zu Tracer-Tests mit konservativen Tracern, welche bereits etablierte Testroutinen zur Verfügung stellen, ist die Verwendung von reaktiven Tracern ein neuer Ansatz. Aufgrund unpassender physikalisch-chemischer Modelle und/oder falschen Annahmen ist die Analyse und Interpretation von reaktiven Tracersignalen jedoch oft verzerrt, fehlinterpretiert oder sogar unmöglich. Reaktive Tracer sind dennoch unersetzbar, da sie durch die gezielte Ausnutzung selektiver und spezifischer Reaktionen mögliche Metriken von Reservoirtestverfahren auf einzigartige Weise erweitern. So liefern reaktive Tracer für ein integriertes Reservoirmanagement geforderten Aussagen über Reservoirmetriken wie z.B. Wärmeaustauschflächen oder in-situ Temperaturen. Um Unsicherheiten bei der Auswertung von Tracerexperimenten zu reduzieren, werden theoretische und experimentelle Untersuchungen zu hydrolysierenden Tracern vorgestellt. Diese Tracer sind durch ihre Reaktion mit Wasser charakterisiert. Einerseits können sie als thermo-sensitive Tracer Informationen über Temperaturen und abgekühlte Anteile eines beprobten Reservoirs liefern. Für die Interpretation von thermo-sensitiven Tracerexperimenten sind die Kenntnis der zugrunde liegenden Reaktionsmechanismen sowie bekannte Arrhenius-Parameter Voraussetzung, um die verwendete Reaktion pseudo erster Ordnung nutzen zu können. Darüber hinaus ermöglichen die verwendeten Verbindungen durch ihre Fluoreszenzeigenschaften eine Online-Messung. Um die Empfindlichkeit und praktischen Grenzen thermo-sensitiver Tracer zu untersuchen, wurden kontrollierte Laborexperimente in einem eigens dafür entwickelten Versuchsaufbau durchgeführt. Dieser besteht aus zwei seriell geschalteten Säulen, die beide mit Sand gefüllt sind und jeweils auf eine eigene Temperatur eingestellt werden können. Somit ist es möglich, verschiedene thermische Einstellungen zu betrachten. Die untersuchten experimentellen Szenarien imitieren größtenteils Feldanwendungen: Durchflussexperimente sowie auch Experimente mit einer Umkehr der Fließrichtung. Darüber hinaus wurde untersucht, ob thermo-sensitive Tracer auch sensitiv gegenüber der Position der Temperaturfront sind. Dabei wurden die Tracer kontinuierlich oder gepulst injiziert. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen die zugrunde liegende Theorie experimentell. Wenn die pH-Abhängigkeit der Hydrolyse bei der Analyse berücksichtigt wird, kann eine Temperaturschätzung mit einer Genauigkeit und Präzision von bis zu 1 K erreicht werden. Die Schätzungen sind von Verweilzeit und gemessenen Konzentrationen unabhängig. Weiterhin lässt sich eine Schätzung über den ausgekühlten Anteil des Systems erhalten. Durch die steuerbaren und definierten Laborbedingungen ist es erstmals möglich, die geforderte Anwendbarkeit von thermo-sensitiven Tracern belastbar nachzuweisen. Des Weiteren wird eine zweite Anwendung hydrolysierender Tracer vorgeschlagen. Beim Lösen von CO2 für „Carbon Capture and Storage“-Anwendungen hängt die Effizienz maßgeblich von der Grenzfläche zwischen CO2 und der Sole in tiefen Reservoiren ab. Somit ist diese Metrik wichtig, um die Effizienz der CO2 Auflösung in Wasser zu bewerten. Die gezielt entwickelten Kinetic-Interface-Senitive-Tracer (KIS-Tracer) nutzen, zusätzlich zur Hydrolyse an der Grenzfläche, die unterschiedlichen Lösungseigenschaften von Tracer und Reaktionsprodukt im entsprechenden Fluid. Somit lassen sich potentiell Aussagen über die Dynamik der Grenzfläche machen. Neben dem grundlegenden Konzept sowie den theoretischen Tracer-Anforderungen wird eine erste Anwendung im Laborexperiment vorgestellt. Diese zeigt das erfolgreiche, zielorientierte Moleküldesign und bietet eine experimentelle Basis für ein makroskopisches numerisches Modell, mit welchem numerische Simulationen verschiedener Testszenarien durchgeführt werden, um das Zusammenspiel von KIS-Tracer und dynamischer Grenzfläche zu untersuchen. Aufgrund der Temperaturabhängigkeit der Reaktionsgeschwindigkeit hydrolysierender Tracer werden in der Regel auch thermische Signale aufgezeichnet. Der letzte Teil prüft die Möglichkeit, Informationen aus den aufgezeichneten Temperaturen zu extrahieren. Für ein idealisiertes Einzelkluftsystem wird eine Reihe von analytischen Lösungen diskutiert. Aus thermischen Injektion-/Entzugsversuchen können damit räumliche und zeitliche Profile abgeleitet werden. Mit der Verwendung von mathematisch effizienten Inversionsverfahren wie der iterativen Laplace-Transformation lassen sich rechentechnisch effiziente Realraum-Lösungen ableiten. Durch die Einführung von drei dimensionslosen Kennzahlen können die berechneten Temperaturprofile auf Bruchbreite oder Wärmetransportrate, wechselnde Injektions-/ Pumpraten und/oder auf in der Nähe beobachtbare räumliche Informationen analysiert werden. Schließlich werden analytische Lösungen als Kernel-Funktionen für nichtlineare Optimierungsalgorithmen vorgestellt. Zusammenfassend bearbeitet die vorliegende Arbeit den Übergang zwischen Tracerauswahl und Traceranwendung. Die Ergebnisse helfen Planungs- und Analyseunsicherheiten zu reduzieren. Dies wird bezüglich der Empfindlichkeit gegenüber Temperaturen, Kühlungsanteilen, flüssig/flüssig-Grenzfläche, Kluftbreite und Wärmetransportrate gezeigt. Somit bieten die vorgestellten Tracerkonzepte neue Metriken zur Verbesserung von Reservoirmanagementverfahren. Die experimentellen Ergebnisse und die neuen analytischen Modelle ermöglichen einen tiefen Einblick in die kollektive Rolle der Parameter, welche die Hydrolyse und den Wärmetransport in Georeservoiren kontrollieren.

Thermal and chemical recovery processes are important EOR methods used often by the oil and gas industry to improve recovery of heavy oil and high viscous oil reservoirs. Knowledge of underlying mechanisms and their modeling in numerical simulation are crucial for a comprehensive study as well as for an evaluation of field treatment. EOS-compositional, thermal, and blackoil reservoir simulators can handle gas (or steam)/oil/water equilibrium for a compressible multiphase flow. Also, a few three-phase chemical flooding reservoir simulators that have been recently developed can model the oil/water/microemulsion equilibrium state. However, an accurate phase behavior and fluid flow formulations are absent in the literature for the thermal chemical processes to capture four-phase equilibrium. On the other hand, numerical simulation of such four-phase model with complex phase behavior in the equilibrium condition between coexisting phases (oil/water/microemulsion/gas or steam) is challenging. Inter-phase mass transfer between coexisting phases and adsorption of components on rock should properly be modeled at the different pressure and temperature to conserve volume balance (e.g. vaporization), mass balance (e.g. condensation), and energy balance (e.g. latent heat). Therefore, efforts to study and understand the performance of these EOR processes using numerical simulation treatments are quite necessary and of utmost importance in the petroleum industry. This research focuses on the development of a robust four-phase reservoir simulator with coupled phase behaviors and modeling of different mechanisms pertaining to thermal and chemical recovery methods. Development and implementation of a four-phase thermal-chemical reservoir simulator is quite important in the study as well as the evaluation of an individual or hybrid EOR methods. In this dissertation, a mathematical formulation of multi (pseudo) component, four-phase fluid flow in porous media is developed for mass conservation equation. Subsequently, a new volume balance equation is obtained for pressure of compressible real mixtures. Hence, the pressure equation is derived by extending a black oil model to a pseudo-compositional model for a wide range of components (water, oil, surfactant, polymer, anion, cation, alcohol, and gas). Mass balance equations are then solved for each component in order to compute volumetric concentrations. In this formulation, we consider interphase mass transfer between oil and gas (steam and water) as well as microemulsion and gas (microemulsion and steam). These formulations are derived at reservoir conditions. These new formulations are a set of coupled, nonlinear partial differential equations. The equations are approximated by finite difference methods implemented in a chemical flooding reservoir simulator (UTCHEM), which was a three-phase slightly compressible simulator, using an implicit pressure and an explicit concentration method. In our flow model, a comprehensive phase behavior is required for considering interphase mass transfer and phase tracking. Therefore, a four-phase behavior model is developed for gas (or steam)/ oil/water /microemulsion coexisting at equilibrium. This model represents coupling of the solution gas or steam table methods with Hand’s rule. Hand’s rule is used to capture the equilibrium between surfactant, oil, and water components as a function of salinity and concentrations for oil/water/microemulsion phases. Therefore, interphase mass transfer between gas/oil or steam/water in the presence of the microemulsion phase and the equilibrium between phases are calculated accurately. In this research, the conservation of energy equation is derived from the first law of thermodynamics based on a few assumptions and simplifications for a four-phase fluid flow model. This energy balance equation considers latent heat effect in solving for temperature due to phase change between water and steam. Accordingly, this equation is linearized and then a sequential implicit scheme is used for calculation of temperature. We also implemented the electrical Joule-heating process, where a heavy oil reservoir is heated in-situ by dissipation of electrical energy to reduce the viscosity of oil. In order to model the electrical Joule-heating in the presence of a four-phase fluid flow, Maxwell classical electromagnetism equations are used in this development. The equations are simplified and assumed for low frequency electric field to obtain the conservation of electrical current equation and the Ohm's law. The conservation of electrical current and the Ohm's law are implemented using a finite difference method in a four-phase chemical flooding reservoir simulator (UTCHEM). The Joule heating rate due to dissipation of electrical energy is calculated and added to the energy equation as a source term. Finally, we applied the developed model for solving different case studies. Our simulation results reveal that our models can accurately and successfully model the hybrid thermal chemical processes in comparison to existing models and simulators.
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In the past thirty years, the development of compositional reservoir simulators using various equations of state (EOS) has been addressed in the literature. However, the development of compositional thermal simulators in conjunction with EOS formulation has been ignored, in particular. Therefore in this work, a fully implicit, parallel, compositional EOS-based simulator has been developed. In this model, an equation of state is used for equilibrium calculations among all phases (oil, gas, and aqueous). Also, the physical properties are calculated based on an equation of state, hence obviating the need for using steam tables for calculation of water/steam properties. The governing equations for the model comprise fugacity equations between the three phases, material balance, pore volume constraint and energy equations. The governing partial differential equations are solved using finite difference approximations. In the steam injection process, the solubility of oil in water-rich phase and the solubility of water in oil phase can be high. This model takes into account the solubility of water in oil phase and the solubility of hydrocarbon components in water-rich phase, using three-phase flash calculations. This simulator can be used in various thermal flooding processes (i.e. hot water or steam injections). Since the simulator was implemented for parallel computers, it is capable of solving large-scale thermal flooding problems. The simulator is successfully validated using analytical solutions. Also, simulations are carried out to compare this model with commercial simulators. The use of an EOS for calculation of various properties for each phase automatically satisfies the thermodynamic consistency requirements. On the other hand, using the K-value approach, which is not thermodynamically robust, may lead to results that are thermodynamically inconsistent. This simulator accurately tracks all components and mass transfer between phases using an EOS; hence, it will produce thermodynamically consistent results and project accurate prediction of thermal recovery processes. Electrical heating model, Joule heating and in-situ thermal desorption methods, and hot-chemical flooding model have also been implemented in the simulator. In the electrical heating model, electrical current equation is solved along with other governing equations by considering electrical heat generation. For implementation of the hot-chemical heating model, first the effect of temperature on the phase behavior model and other properties of the chemical flooding model is considered. Next, the material and energy balance and volume constraints equations are solved with a fully implicit method. The models are validated with other solutions and different cases are tested with the implemented models.
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The large volume of water produced during the extraction of oil presents a significant problem due to the high cost of disposal in an environmentally friendly manner. On average, an estimated seven barrels of water is produced per barrel of oil in the US alone and the associated treatment and disposal cost is an estimated $5-10 billion. Besides making oil-water separation more complex, produced water also causes problems such as corrosion in the wellbore, decline in production rate and ultimate recovery of hydrocarbons and premature well or field abandonment. Water production can be more problematic during waterflooding in a highly heterogeneous reservoir with vertical communication between layers leading to unevenness in the flood front, cross-flow between high and low permeability layers and early water breakthrough from high permeability layers. Some of the different technologies that can be used to counteract this involve reducing the mobility of water or using a permeability block in the higher permeability, swept zones. This research was initiated to evaluate the potential effectiveness of the latter method, known as deep diverting gels (DDG) to plug thief zones deep within the reservoir and far from the injection well. To evaluate the performance of DDG, its injection was modeled, sensitivities run for a range of reservoir characteristics and conditions and an economic analysis was also performed. The performance of the DDG was then compared to other recovery methods, specifically waterflooding and polymer flooding from a technical and economic perspective. A literature review was performed on the background of injection profile control methods, their respective designs and technical capabilities. For the methods selected, Schlumberger's Eclipse software was used to simulate their behavior in a reservoir using realistic and simplified assumptions of reservoir characteristics and fluid properties. The simulation results obtained were then used to carry out economic analyses upon which conclusions and recommendations are based. These results show that the factor with the largest impact on the economic success of this method versus a polymer flood was the amount of incremental oil produced. By comparing net present values of the different methods, it was found that the polymer flood was the most successful with the highest NPV for each configuration followed by DDG.

Stress and permeability variations around a wellbore and in the reservoir are of much interest in petroleum and geothermal reservoir development. Water injection causes significant changes in pore pressure, temperature, and stress in hot reservoirs, changing rock permeability. In this work, two- and three-dimensional finite element methods were developed to simulate coupled reservoirs with damage mechanics and stress-dependent permeability. The model considers the influence of fluid flow, temperature, and solute transport in rock deformation and models nonlinear behavior with continuum damage mechanics and stress-dependent permeability. Numerical modeling was applied to analyze wellbore stability in swelling shale with two- and three-dimensional damage/fracture propagation around a wellbore and injection-induced microseismic events. The finite element method (FEM) was used to solve the displacement, pore pressure, temperature, and solute concentration problems. Solute mass transport between drilling fluid and shale formation was considered to study salinity effects. Results show that shear and tensile failure can occur around a wellbore in certain drilling conditions where the mud pressure lies between the reservoir pore pressure and fracture gradient. The fully coupled thermo-poro-mechanical FEM simulation was used to model damage/fracture propagation and microseismic events caused by fluid injection. These studies considered wellbore geometry in small-scale modeling and point-source injection, assuming singularity fluid flux for large-scale simulation. Damage mechanics was applied to capture the effects of crack initiation, microvoid growth, and fracture propagation. The induced microseismic events were modeled in heterogeneous geological media, assuming the Weibull distribution functions for modulus and permeability. The results of this study indicate that fluid injection causes the effective stress to relax in the damage phase and to concentrate at the interface between the damage phase and the intact rock. Furthermore, induced-stress and far-field stress influence damage propagation. Cold water injection causes the tensile stress and affects the initial fracture and fracture propagation, but fracture initiation pressure and far-field stress are critical to create a damage/fracture plane, which is normal to the minimum far-field stress direction following well stimulation. Microseismic events propagate at both well scale and reservoir-scale simulation; the cloud shape of a microseismic event is affected by permeability anisotropy and far-field stress, and deviatoric horizontal far-field stress especially contributes to the localization of the microseismic cloud.