Injection behaviour of fractured reservoirs at near wellbore and far field areas: a CFD study.

Oluyemi, Gbenga Folorunso; Kanin, Limniyakul; Nair, Arwin

Abstract

Flow partitioning in fractured reservoirs especially during injection and production operations poses a great challenge to the optimisation of these important field operations. For example, flow partitioning into the fracture from the matrix may limit production from a well if the drilling and completion design does not take into consideration the position and intensity of the fracture networks. In the same vein, during chemical injection into a fractured reservoir for remedial flow assurance related purposes, the injected chemical may be forced into fracture zones with relatively low flow resistance depriving the target zones of the much needed dosage of chemical. Though several solution options are available to the operators to solve some of these optimisation problems if known at the planning and design stage of field development, however, there are very few options available to them to evaluate the flow behaviour of their fractured reservoirs at both near wellbore and far field areas of the reservoirs. In this study, we used CFD to investigate the injection behaviour of fractured reservoirs at near wellbore and far field areas of the reservoir in both vertical and horizontal directions under conditions of near equal and widely varying fracture and matrix permeabilities. The results highlight the twin effects of vertical flow distance from the matrix sites to the fracture face and fracture/matrix permeability on pressure distribution and flow partitioning during injection operation. In addition, the results demonstrate the application of CFD as a potential tool for preliminary evaluation and characterization of fractured reservoirs.

Citation

OLUYEMI, G.F., KANIN, L. and NAIR, A. 2014. Injection behaviour of fractured reservoirs at near wellbore and far field areas: a CFD study. International journal of fluid mechanics research [online], 41(6), pages 536-546. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1615/InterJFluidMechRes.v41.i6.60

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 31, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Dec 31, 2014
• Publication Date: Dec 31, 2014
• Deposit Date: Feb 11, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 11, 2020
• Journal: International Journal of Fluid Mechanics Research
• Print ISSN: 1064-2277
• Electronic ISSN: 2152-5110
• Publisher: Begell House
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 41
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 536-546
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1615/interjfluidmechres.v41.i6.60
• Keywords: Field operations; Flow partitioning; Fractured reservoirs; CFD
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/819693