Wall-Effect/Gel-Droplet Model of Disproportionate Permeability Reduction

Liang, J.; Seright, R.S.

doi:10.2523/59344-ms

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. The distributions of water and oil saturations were determined as a function of pore size.…”

Section: Berea Sandstone Image Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characterizing Disproportionate Permeability Reduction Using Synchrotron X-Ray Computed Microtomography

Seright¹,

Liang²,

Lindquist³

et al. 2001

Proceedings of SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition

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TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435.Abstract X-ray computed microtomography was used to investigate why gels reduce permeability to water more than that to oil in strongly water-wet Berea sandstone and in an oil-wet porous polyethylene core. Although the two porous media had very different porosities (22% versus 40%), the distributions of pore sizes and aspect ratios were similar. A Cr(III)-acetate-HPAM gel caused comparable oil and water permeability reductions in both porous media. In both cores, the gel reduced permeability to water by a factor 80 to 90 times more than that to oil. However, the distributions of water and oil saturations (versus pore size) were substantially different before, during, and after gel placement.The disproportionate permeability reduction appeared to occur by different mechanisms in the two porous media. In Berea, gel caused disproportionate permeability reduction by trapping substantial volumes of oil that remained immobile during water flooding. With this high trapped oil saturation, water was forced to flow through narrow films, through the smallest pores, and through the gel itself. In contrast, during oil flooding, oil pathways remained relatively free from constriction by the gel.In the polyethylene core, oil trapping did not contribute significantly to the disproportionate permeability reduction. Instead, oil films and a relatively small number of pore pathways provided conduits for the oil. For reasons yet to be understood, the small pore pathways appeared largely unavailable for water flow.

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“…[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. The distributions of water and oil saturations were determined as a function of pore size.…”

Section: Berea Sandstone Image Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] This property is critical to the success of water-shutoff treatments in production wells if hydrocarbon-productive zones cannot be protected during polymer or gelant placement. 2,3 However, the magnitude of the effect has been unpredictable from one application to the next.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing Disproportionate Permeability Reduction Using Synchrotron X-Ray Computed Microtomography

Seright¹,

Liang²,

Lindquist³

et al. 2001

Proceedings of SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition

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“…13) Repetition of steps (11) and (12) to vary stationary brine saturation value. Estimation of gas permeability reduction, R kg .…”

Section: Coreflood Test Equipment and Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gas/Water Flow in Porous Media in the Presence of Adsorbed Polymer: Experimental Study on Non-Darcy Effects

Blanchard

Lasseux

Bertin

et al. 2006

SPE/DOE Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery

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TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractThe mechanism of Disproportionate Permeability Reduction (DPR) resulting from polymer or gel adsorption in porous media has been widely reported in the literature in the domain of Darcy regime. However, very few studies have been dedicated to the impact of polymer adsorption in porous media when two-phase flow occurs in non-linear regimes which are of interest in a wide range of applications. The objective of this paper is to report some experimental investigations on the effect of polymer adsorption on gas-water flow at low mean pressure, i.e. when Klinkenberg effects (or gas slippage) must be considered, as well as at high flow rates when inertial effects are significant. The experimental study reported in this paper consists of water and nitrogen injections into various silicon carbide model granular packs having different permeabilities. More specifically, the purpose is to investigate gas flow at different water saturations before and after polymer adsorption over flow regimes ranging from slip flow to inertial flow. In good agreement with previous works, in the Darcy regime, we observe an increase in irreducible water saturation and a strong reduction in the relative permeability to water while the relative permeability to gas is slightly affected. At low mean pressure in the gas phase, the magnitude of Klinkenberg effect is found to increase with water saturation in the absence of polymer, whereas, for the same water saturation, the presence of an adsorbed polymer layer reduces this effect. In the inertial regime, a reduction of inertial effects is observed when gas is injected after polymer adsorption, taking into account water saturation and permeability modifications. Experimental data are discussed according to hypotheses put forth to explain these effects.

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“…C = hydraulic conductance of pore, L 3 , m 3 K = permeability, L 2 , m 2 k r = relative permeability l = length of tube, L, m P = pressure, mL/t 2 , Pa P c = capillary pressure, mL/t 2 , Pa PV = pore volume, L 3 , cm 3 q, Q = volumetric flow rate, L 3 /t,, cm 3 Table 2. Average properties and standard deviation for ten realisations of the conceptual model for the Berea lognormal pore size distribution.…”

Section: Nomenclaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mechanisms and causes of DPR could vary with the polymer or gel system and the particular conditions studied. Several mechanisms have been proposed [1][2][3][4][5][6] and verified under certain conditions, but still there is no consensus regarding its validity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Disproportionate Permeability Reduction When a Silicate Gel is Formed In-Situ to Control Water Production

Grattoni¹,

Jing²,

Zimmerman³

2001

Proceedings of SPE Latin American and Caribbean Petroleum Engineering Conference

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TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435. AbstractWater production from oil and gas reservoirs is increasing world-wide, as more reservoirs are becoming mature. In order to control water production, polymers or gels are injected into production wells to either block the flow, or to reduce water permeability. In the latter case the polymers/gels are known as relative permeability modifiers. In these treatments, a gel is often formed in-situ through a chemical reaction, creating a semi-solid material that is capable of modifying the permeability.To visualise the processes that occur during the flow of water and oil through a porous rock containing gel, experiments were conducted in transparent glass models in which the flow events can be observed. To form the gel insitu, a novel alkyl silicate gelant was used, which is soluble in the oil phase, and which, when in contact with water, reacts to convert the water phase into a gel.From the flow observations, the underlying physics can be extracted and the basic mechanisms understood (reduction in effective pore size distribution, gel-bounded water, wetting films of free water, etc.). These mechanisms were used to develop a conceptual model, which consists of three main elements: pore space (bundle of capillary tubes), occupancy of the phases (fluid and gel distribution), and flow equations.The output from the conceptual model is the capillary pressure as a function of total water saturation and end-point relative permeability.The results from this model successfully represent the disproportionate permeability reduction observed in micromodels and core experiments, verifying the mechanisms included in the model. This model may be quickly and easily used to study the influence of pore size distribution, gelant concentration, and initial water saturation, before undertaking laboratory or more complex modelling studies.

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Wall-Effect/Gel-Droplet Model of Disproportionate Permeability Reduction

Cited by 14 publications

References 6 publications

Characterizing Disproportionate Permeability Reduction Using Synchrotron X-Ray Computed Microtomography

Characterizing Disproportionate Permeability Reduction Using Synchrotron X-Ray Computed Microtomography

Gas/Water Flow in Porous Media in the Presence of Adsorbed Polymer: Experimental Study on Non-Darcy Effects

Disproportionate Permeability Reduction When a Silicate Gel is Formed In-Situ to Control Water Production

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