Compositional Simulation of CO2 Huff-n-Puff Processes in Tight Oil Reservoirs with Complex Fractures Based on EDFM Technology Considering the Threshold Pressure Gradient

Abstract

Although tight oil reservoirs have abundant resources, their recovery efficiency is generally low. In recent years, CO2 injection huff-n-puff has become an effective method for improving oil recovery on the basis of depleted production of volume-fracturing horizontal wells in tight oil reservoirs. In order to study the effects of CO2 huff-n-puff (CO2-HnP) on production, a compositional numerical simulation study of CO2 huff-n-puff (CO2-HnP) was conducted in tight oil reservoirs with complex fractures. Embedded discrete fracture model technology was used in the simulations to characterize complex fractures. The process of CO2 huff-n-puff (CO2-HnP) was simulated, which consists of CO2 injection, CO2 soaking, and CO2 production. Taking into account the threshold pressure gradient and stress sensitivity in the model, we conducted a series of numerical simulations with different production condition parameters, such as bottom-hole pressure, CO2 injection rate, injection time, soaking time, and the number of cycles of CO2 huff-n-puff (CO2-HnP). Then, the effects of these sensitivity parameters on the cumulative oil production (COP) were studied. The results indicate that the threshold pressure gradient and rock stress sensitivity factors greatly affect the pressure field of tight reservoirs and the cumulative oil production (COP) of multistage-fracturing horizontal wells. The production parameters all have an impact on the COP. The injection rate and circulation number both have optimal values, and the injection time and soak time tend to have less significant effects on the growth of cumulative oil production over time. According to the numerical simulation, the optimal solution is 5 × 104 m3/day injection rate per cycle, 25 days of injection time, 35 days of soaking time, three cycles, and production for 5 years, which can obtain the optimal cumulative oil production.