A Semi-Analytical Method for Modeling Two-Phase Flow Behavior in Fractured Carbonate Oil Reservoirs

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suran Wang ◽  
Linsong Cheng ◽  
Shijun Huang ◽  
Yongchao Xue ◽  
Minghong Bai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Production Rate ◽  
Analytical Method ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Oil Reservoirs ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Fracture Permeability ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Black Oil ◽  
Fractured Carbonate

It is quite common for oil/gas two-phase flow in developing fractured carbonate oil reservoirs. Many analytical models proposed for black oil wells in fractured carbonate reservoirs are limited to single-phase flow cases and conventional methods have been the use of numerical simulations for this problem. In this approach, a novel semi-analytical method is proposed to integrate the complexities of phase change, pressure-dependent pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) properties, two-phase flow behavior, and stress-dependent fracture permeability characteristics. A dual-porosity, black oil model considering the phase change and two-phase flow is applied to model the fractured carbonate reservoirs. To linearize the model, only flow equations of oil phase are used to develop the mathematical model. Nonlinear parameters and producing gas–oil ratio (GOR) are updated with coupled flowing material balance equations, followed by a novel proposed procedure for history matching of field production data and making forecasts. The semi-analytical method is validated with a commercial simulator Eclipse. The results show that both of the production rate curves of oil and gas phase using the proposed model coincide with the numerical simulator. The results also show that the effects of pressure-dependent fracture permeability, fracture porosity, and exterior boundary on production rate are significant. Stress sensitivity influences production rate during the whole process, reducing the cumulative production. Fracture porosity influences production rate during the intermediate flow periods. The exterior boundary affects production rate mainly in the early and intermediate production periods. Finally, a field example from the eastern Pre-Caspian basin is used to demonstrate the practicability of the method. Acceptable history match is achieved and the interpreted parameters are all reasonable.

scholarly journals A Hybrid Model for Simulating Fracturing Fluid Flowback in Tight Sandstone Gas Wells considering a Three-Dimensional Discrete Fracture

Lithosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (Special 4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suran Wang ◽  
Yuhu Bai ◽  
Bingxiang Xu ◽  
Yanzun Li ◽  
Ling Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Production Rate ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Production Performance ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Fracture Permeability ◽  
Tight Sandstone ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Discrete Fracture

Abstract Two-phase (gas+water) flow is quite common in tight sandstone gas reservoirs during flowback and early-time production periods. However, many analytical models are restricted to single-phase flow problems and three-dimensional fracture characteristics are seldom considered. Numerical simulations are good choices for this problem, but it is time consuming in gridding and simulating. This paper presents a comprehensive hybrid model to characterize two-phase flow behaviour and predict the production performance of a fractured tight gas well with a three-dimensional discrete fracture. In this approach, the hydraulic fracture is discretized into several panels and the transient flow equation is solved by the finite difference method numerically. A three-dimensional volumetric source function and superposition principle are deployed to capture the flow behaviour in the reservoir analytically. The transient responses are obtained by coupling the flow in the reservoir and three-dimensional discrete fracture dynamically. The accuracy and practicability of the proposed model are validated by the numerical simulation result. The results indicate that the proposed model is highly efficient and precise in simulating the gas/water two-phase flow and evaluating the early-time production performance of fractured tight sandstone gas wells considering a three-dimensional discrete fracture. The results also show that the gas production rate will be overestimated without considering the two-phase flow in the hydraulic fracture. In addition, the influences of fracture permeability, fracture half-length, and matrix permeability on production performance are significant. The gas production rate will be higher with larger fracture permeability at the early production period, but the production curves will merge after fracturing fluid flows back. A larger fracture half-length and matrix permeability can enhance the gas production rate.

scholarly journals A Semi-Analytical Method for Simulating Two-Phase Flow Performance of Horizontal Volatile Oil Wells in Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suran Wang ◽  
Linsong Cheng ◽  
Yongchao Xue ◽  
Shijun Huang ◽  
Yonghui Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Method ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Volatile Oil ◽  
Oil Wells ◽  
Carbonate Reservoirs ◽  
Production Performance ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Fractured Carbonate ◽  
Phase Production

Two-phase flow behavior in fractured carbonate reservoirs was investigated due to the importance for geothermal and petroleum resource recovery, such as in this study the phase change of volatile oil. This paper presents a semi-analytical method for accurately modeling two-phase flow behavior and quickly predicting the production performance. The fractured carbonate reservoir was modeled with a dual-porosity model, and the phase change and two-phase flow were modeled using the black oil model. The production of the oil phase was obtained through linearizing and solving the mathematical model. The gas phase production was forecast using the producing gas-oil ratio (GOR), calculated using flowing material balance equations. By comparing the semi-analytical solution to the solution of the commercial numerical simulator and applying it to a field case, the accuracy and practicability of the proposed semi-analytical method could be validated. Based on the semi-analytical model, the influences of several critical parameters on production performance were also analyzed. The proposed model was shown to be efficient in evaluating two-phase production performance of horizontal volatile oil wells. Furthermore, the new technique is able to serve as a useful tool for analyzing two-phase production data and making forecasts for volatile oil wells in fractured carbonate reservoirs.

Upward Vertical Two-Phase Flow Through an Annulus—Part II: Modeling Bubble, Slug, and Annular Flow

1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. F. Caetano ◽  
O. Shoham ◽  
J. P. Brill
Keyword(s):  
Flow Pattern ◽  
Annular Flow ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Bubble Flow ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Physical Phenomena ◽  
Good Agreement

Mechanistic models have been developed for each of the existing two-phase flow patterns in an annulus, namely bubble flow, dispersed bubble flow, slug flow, and annular flow. These models are based on two-phase flow physical phenomena and incorporate annulus characteristics such as casing and tubing diameters and degree of eccentricity. The models also apply the new predictive means for friction factor and Taylor bubble rise velocity presented in Part I. Given a set of flow conditions, the existing flow pattern in the system can be predicted. The developed models are applied next for predicting the flow behavior, including the average volumetric liquid holdup and the average total pressure gradient for the existing flow pattern. In general, good agreement was observed between the experimental data and model predictions.

Compressibility Effect in Two-Phase Flow and Its Application to Flow Metering With Orifice Plate and Convergent-Divergent Nozzle

1983 ◽  
Vol 105 (4) ◽  
pp. 394-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Pascal
Keyword(s):  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Orifice Plate ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Gas Solubility ◽  
Mass Ratio ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Compressibility Effect ◽  
Flow Metering ◽  
Solution Gas

The effect of solution gas on the two-phase flow behavior through an orifice plate and a convergent-divergent nozzle has been investigated with regard to the flow metering of compressible two-phase mixtures. A proper thermodynamics approach to consider more accurately the compressibility effect in an accelerated two-phase flow, in particular that through an orifice and Laval’s nozzle in the presence of the solution gas, has been developed. From this approach an equation of state of mixture was derived and used in determining the orifice equation. An analysis of flow behavior has been performed and several illustrative plots were presented in order to evaluate the gas solubility effect in the flow metering with an orifice plate or a convergent-divergent nozzle. A delimitation between critical and noncritical flow has been established in terms of measured parameters and a relationship between the critical pressure and gas-liquid mass ratio was also shown.

scholarly journals Flow Behavior of Single and Two-Phase Flow inside Herringbone Microfin Tubes

2004 ◽  
Vol 2004.57 (0) ◽  
pp. 125-126
Author(s):  
Goki AKIYOSHI ◽  
Mohammad Ariful ISLAM ◽  
Akio MIYARA ◽  
Takahisa KUROKAWA
Keyword(s):  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Microfin Tubes

Predicting Compositional Two-Phase Flow Behavior in Pipelines

1986 ◽  
Vol 108 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Furukawa ◽  
O. Shoham ◽  
J. P. Brill
Keyword(s):  
Mass Transfer ◽  
Computational Algorithm ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Temperature Profiles ◽  
Balance Equations ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Liquid Phases ◽  
Retrograde Condensation

A computational algorithm for predicting pressure and temperature profiles for compositional two-phase flow in pipelines has been developed. The algorithm is based on the coupling of the momentum and energy balance equations and the phase behavior of the flowing fluids. Mass transfer between the gas and the liquid phases is treated rigorously through flash calculations, making the algorithm capable of handling retrograde condensation. Temperatures can be predicted by applying the enthalpy balance equation iteratively. However, it was found that the explicit Coutler and Bardon analytical solution for the temperature profile yields nearly identical results for horizontal and near horizontal flow.

Experimental Study of Two Phase Flow Behavior Past BWR Spacer Grids

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruwan K. Ratnayake ◽  
L. E. Hochreiter ◽  
K. N. Ivanov ◽  
J. M. Cimbala
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Critical Heat Flux ◽  
Test Section ◽  
Visual Information ◽  
Two Phase Flow ◽  
Flow Behavior ◽  
Phase Flow ◽  
Spacer Grid ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Spacer Grids

Performance of best estimate codes used in the nuclear industry can be significantly improved by reducing the empiricism embedded in their constitutive models. Spacer grids have been found to have an important impact on the maximum allowable Critical Heat Flux within the fuel assembly of a nuclear reactor core. Therefore, incorporation of suitable spacer grids models can improve the critical heat flux prediction capability of best estimate codes. Realistic modeling of entrainment behavior of spacer grids requires understanding the different mechanisms that are involved. Since visual information pertaining to the entrainment behavior of spacer grids cannot possibly be obtained from operating nuclear reactors, experiments have to be designed and conducted for this specific purpose. Most of the spacer grid experiments available in literature have been designed in view of obtaining quantitative data for the purpose of developing or modifying empirical formulations for heat transfer, critical heat flux or pressure drop. Very few experiments have been designed to provide fundamental information which can be used to understand spacer grid effects and phenomena involved in two phase flow. Air-water experiments were conducted to obtain visual information on the two-phase flow behavior both upstream and downstream of Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) spacer grids. The test section was designed and constructed using prototypic dimensions such as the channel cross-section, rod diameter and other spacer grid configurations of a typical BWR fuel assembly. The test section models the flow behavior in two adjacent sub channels in the BWR core. A portion of a prototypic BWR spacer grid accounting for two adjacent channels was used with industrial mild steel rods for the purpose of representing the channel internals. Symmetry was preserved in this practice, so that the channel walls could effectively be considered as the channel boundaries. Thin films were established on the rod surfaces by injecting water through a set of perforations at the bottom ends of the rods, ensuring that the flow upstream of the bottom-most spacer grid is predominantly annular. The flow conditions were regulated such that they represent typical BWR operating conditions. Photographs taken during experiments show that the film entrainment increases significantly at the spacer grids, since the points of contact between the rods and the grids result in a peeling off of large portions of the liquid film from the rod surfaces. Decreasing the water flow resulted in eventual drying out, beginning at positions immediately upstream of the spacer grids.

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