Rock physical evolution and microscopic flow mechanism of massive energy replenishment in tight oil reservoirs
Abstract view|208|times PDF download|134|times
Abstract
Massive energy replenishment presents a practical approach to increase and maintain the formation pressure in tight oil reservoirs. However, the evolution of rock physical properties after this process remains unclear, posing challenges to further elucidate the related microscopic flow mechanism. In the current work, we designed a physical method that uses online nuclear magnetic resonance to simulate the life cycle of “injection, soaking, and production” in massive energy replenishment. The rock physical properties evolution and pore-scale flow mechanism are analyzed by quantitative and visualization methods. Additionally, the influence of injection volume and production pressure difference on oil recovery is clearly defined. The findings suggest that the primary evolution of microscopic pore structure during massive energy replenishment involves microfractures and micropores, promoting the involvement of more pore throats in the flow. However, the flow capacity increase varies at different locations, with a higher increase observed at the inlet than at others. The increase in pseudo-permeability exhibits exponential growth with the injection volume, and its inflection point positively correlates with initial permeability. Massive water huff and puff significantly enhances oil recovery by increasing the pore pressure and flow channels. The apparent energy enhancement and accumulation effect during soaking facilitates oil drained by imbibition to migrate towards the macropores at the outlet in abundance and being enriched. The inflection point of the increase in the recovery degree can be realized by a small pressure difference in production. Importantly, however, considering the carry-over and extrusion effect of injected water on oil droplets, a combination of flooding and soaking is essential to mobilize the fluid in micro-mesopores.
Document Type: Original article
Cited as: Dou, Z., Yang, Z., Dong, C., Li, H., Wang, Y., Hou, H. Rock physical evolution and microscopic flow mechanism of massive energy replenishment in tight oil reservoirs. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2024, 14(1): 49-63. https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2024.10.07
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Abou-Sayed, A. S., Zaki, K. S., Wang, G., et al. A mechanistic model for formation damage and fracture propagation during water injection. Paper SPE 94606 Presented at SPE European Formation Damage Conference and Exhibition, Sheveningen, The Netherlands, 25-27 May, 2005.
Anderson, W. G. Wettability literature survey part 5: The effects of wettability on relative permeability. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 1987, 39(11): 1453-1468.
Bodini, S. A., Forni, L. P., Tuero, F., et al. Unconventional EOR: Field tests results in Vaca Muerta Shale Play: A capillary based improved oil recovery case study for shale/tight oil scenarios. Paper SPE 191877 Presented at the SPE Argentina Exploration and Production of Unconventional Resources Symposium, Neuquen, Argentina, 14-16 August, 2018.
Cheng, L., Wang, D., Cao, R., et al. The influence of hydraulic fractures on oil recovery by water flooding processes in tight oil reservoirs: An experimental and numerical approach. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 2020, 185: 106572.
Chevalier, T., Chevalier, C., Clain, X., et al. Darcy’s law for yield stress fluid flowing through a porous medium. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, 2013, 195: 57-66.
David, C., Wong, T., Zhu, W., et al. Laboratory measurement of compaction-induced permeability change in porous rocks: Implications for the generation and maintenance of pore pressure excess in the crust. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 1994, 143: 425-456.
Gadde, P. B., Sharma, M. M. Growing injection well fractures and their impact on waterflood performance. Paper SPE 115204 Presented at SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, Louisiana, 23-25 September, 2001.
Golsanami, N., Sun, J., Zhang, Z. A review on the applications of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology for investigating fractures. Journal of Applied Geophysics, 2016, 133: 30-38.
Haghi, A. H., Chalaturnyk, R., Geiger, S. New semi-analytical insights into stress-dependent spontaneous imbibition and oil recovery in naturally fractured carbonate reservoirs. Water Resources Research, 2018, 54: 9605-9622.
Hagoort, J. Waterflood-induced hydraulic fracturing. Delft, Delft Technical University, 1981.
Ji, W., Yu, H., Liu, X., et al. Oil production mechanism of water injection huff-n-puff for enhancing oil recovery in tight sandstone reservoir. Energy & Fuels, 2023, 37(23): 18867-18877.
Kozhevnikov, E., Turbakov, M., Riabokon, E., et al. Rock permeability evolution during cyclic loading and colloid migration after saturation and drying. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2024, 11(3): 208-219.
Li, S., Yang, S., Dong, W., et al. Influence of water injection pressure and method on oil recovery of water injection huff and puff in tight volcanic oil reservoirs. ACS Omega, 2022a, 7(25): 21595-21607.
Li, S., Yang, S., Gao, X., et al. Experimental study on liquid production law, oil recovery mechanism, and influencing factors of water huff-n-puff in the tight sedimentary tuff oil reservoir. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 2022b, 208(Part D): 109721.
Li, S., Yang, S., Jin, L., et al. Study on influencing factors of water huff-n-puff oil recovery in matrix-fracture systems of the tight sedimentary tuff reservoirs. ACS Omega, 2022c, 7(36): 32250-32261.
Ma, N., Li, C., Wang, F., et al. Laboratory study on the oil displacement process in low-permeability cores with different injection fluids. ACS Omega, 2022, 9(7): 8013-8022.
Milad, M., Junin, R., Sidek, A., et al. Huff-n-puff technology for enhanced oil recovery in shale/tight oil reservoirs: Progress, gaps, and perspectives. Energy & Fuels, 2021, 35(21): 17279-17333.
Nishiyama, N., Yokoyama, T. Permeability of porous media: Role of the critical pore size. Journal of Geophysics Research: Solid Earth, 2017, 122: 6955-6971.
Norbert, Z., Georg, N. Anisotropy of permeability and complex resistivity of tight sandstones subjected to hydrostatic pressure. Journal of Applied Geophysics, 2009, 68(3): 356-370.
Norris, J. Q., Turcotte, D. L., Rundle, J. B. A damage model for fracking. International Journal of Damage Mechanics, 2015, 24(8): 1227-1238.
Pearse, J., Singhroy, V., Samsonov, S., et al. Anomalous surface heave induced by enhanced oil recovery in northern Alberta: Insar observations and numerical modeling. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2014, 119(8): 6630-6649.
Qin, G., Dai, X., Sui, L., et al. Study of massive water huff-npuff technique in tight oil field and its field application. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 2021, 196: 107514.
Radwan, A. E., Wood, D. A., Abudeif, A. M., et al. Reservoir formation damage; reasons and mitigation: A case study of the Cambrian-Ordovician Nubian ‘C’ sandstone gas and oil reservoir from the gulf of Suez Rift Basin. Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 2022, 47: 11279-11296.
Sanchez-Rivera, D., Mohanty, K., Balhoff, M. Reservoir simulation and optimization of huff-and-puff operations in the Bakken Shale. Fuel, 2015, 147: 82-94.
Sun, L., Li, M., Abdelaziz, A., et al. An efficient 3D cell-based discrete fracture-matrix flow model for digitally captured fracture networks. International Journal of Coal Science & Technology, 2023, 10: 70.
Sun, Y., Chen, C., Ma, S., et al. Hydrocarbon accumulation characteristics and its main controlling factors in lithologic reservoirs area: Example of Fuyu oil layer in the southern Fuxin uplift of Songliao Basin. Advanced Materials Research, 2012, 524: 134-139.
Sun, Y., Deng, M., Ma, S., et al. Distribution and controlling factors of tight sandstone oil in Fuyu oil layers of Da’an area, Songliao Basin, NE China. Petroleum Exploration and Development, 2015, 42(5): 646-655.
Thomas, R. D., Don, C. W. Effect of overburden pressure and water saturation on gas permeability of tight sandstone cores. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 1972, 24: 120-124.
Todd, H. B., Evans, J. G. Improved oil recovery IOR pilot projects in the Bakken formation. Paper SPE 180270 Presented at the SPE Low Perm Symposium, Denver, USA, 5-6 May, 2016.
Umeobi, H. I., Li, Q., Xu, L., et al. NMR Investigation of brine imbibition dynamics in pores of tight sandstones under different boundary conditions. Energy & Fuels, 2021, 35(19): 15856-15866.
Vairogs, J., Vaughan, W. R. Pressure transient tests in formations having stress-sensitive permeability. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 1973, 25(8): 965-970.
Van Den Hoek, P. J. Pressure transient analysis in fractured produced water injection wells. Paper SPE 77946 Presented at SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia, 8-10 October, 2002.
Van Den Hoek, P. J., Hustedt, B., Sobera, M., et al. Dynamic induced fractures in waterfloods and EOR. Paper SPE 115204 Presented at SPE Russian Petroleum Technology Conference, Moscow, Russia, 28-30 October, 2008.
Wang, W., Peng, Y., Li, G., et al. Opening mechanism of dynamic fractures caused by water injection and effective adjustments in low permeability reservoirs, Daqing oilfield in Songliao Basin. Oil & Gas Geology, 2015a, 36(5): 842-847. (in Chinese)
Wang, Y., Cheng, S., Zhang, K., et al. Case studies: Pressuretransient analysis for water injector with the influence of waterflood-induced fractures in tight reservoir. Paper SPE 190264 Presented at the SPE Improved Oil Recovery Conference, Tulsa, USA, 14-18 April, 2018a.
Wang, Y., Cheng, S., Zhang, K., et al. Impact of shrinking fracture length and decreasing fracture conductivity on bottom-hole pressure performance: A semi-analytical model to characterize waterflood-induced fracture around water injection well. Paper SPE 190060 Presented at the SPE Western Regional Meeting Held in Garden Grove, California, USA, 22-27 April, 2018b.
Wang, Y., Song, X., Tian, C., et al. Dynamic fractures are an emerging new development geological attribute in waterflooding development of ultra-low permeability reservoirs. Petroleum Exploration and Development, 2015b, 42(2): 247-253.
Wijaya, N., Sheng, J. J. Shut-in effect in removing water blockage in shale-oil reservoirs with stress-dependent permeability considered. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, 2020, 23(1): 81-94.
Wu, Z., Zeng, Q., Li, J. New effective energy-supplement development method of waterflood huff and puff for the oil reservoir with stimulated reservoir volume fracturing. Petroleum Geology and Recovery Efficiency, 2017, 24(5): 78-83+92. (in Chinese)
Zhao, J., Fan, J., He, Y., et al. Optimization of horizontal well injection-production parameters for ultra-low permeabletight oil production: A case from Changqing Oilfield, Ordos Basin, NW China. Petroleum Exploration and Development, 2015, 42(1): 74-82.
Zhong, X., Zhu, Y., Liu, L., et al. The characteristics and influencing factors of permeability stress sensitivity of tight sandstone reservoirs. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 2020, 191: 107221.
Zhou, X., Wang, Y., Zhang, L., et al. Evaluation of enhanced oil recovery potential using gas/water flooding in a tight oil reservoir. Fuel, 2020, 272: 117706.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46690/ager.2024.10.07
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2024 The Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.