Combining Discrete Fracture and Matrix with Multi-Rate Dual-Porosity Modeling

Christine
1Institute

1 Maier ,

Karen

2 Schmid ,

Sebastian

1 Geiger

of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, U.K. 2Institute for Modeling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems, Universitt Stuttgart, Germany Email: christine.maier@pet.hw.ac.uk

1 BACKGROUND
a)

3 METHODOLOGY
b)

Multi-rate dual-porosity model:

Validating with experimental results:

a) b)

Spontaneous Imbibition:
c) a) Partition of the fractured reservoir in DFM and MRDP regions: Large fractures and faults are represented explicitly in the DFM region. Small-scale fractures are represented as upscaled properties as the fracture domain using the MRDP approach. Fluid exchange between matrix and fracture domain is computed by the transfer function . Transfer rate derived from the analytical solution for spontaneous imbibition d)

Gravity Drainage:
e)

water-oil system

water-gas system

Multi-scale heterogeneities and modelling approach for fractured carbonate reservoirs.

b) Hybrid element mesh with elements (red) and node centered finite volumes (blue); Multi-phase flow is computed sequentially using operator splitting and fully implicit time-stepping: The pressure equation is solved via FEM approach on the elements. The saturation equation is computed on the finite volumes using the Newton method with a line search algorithm. Transfer rate based on a power law

Dual-Porosity (DP) models are typically used for fast predictions of fluid flow in fractured reservoirs. However, classical dual-porosity models miss some key physics because the fracture-matrix transfer in heterogeneous carbonate reservoirs is not captured adequately. Discrete Fracture and Matrix (DFM) models are used to simulate flow in reservoir geometries where the full fracture and matrix geometry is explicitly preserved, but are intractable in field simulations. We propose a discrete fracture and matrix - multirate dual-porosity (DFM-MRDP) model on unstructured hybrid element meshes using fully implicit time-stepping to simulate fluid flow in the mobile domain with explicit representation of largescale fractures and employ a novel, analytically based transfer function to model fluid exchange between fractures and matrix.

a) b) Comparison of an empirical and our analytically derived transfer rate coefficient for a wide range of experimental data (tD = t * b).
oil-gas system

c) d) Spontaneous imbibition DP simulation results e) Gravity drainage DP simulation results.

s. Maier et al. (2013, SPE-164926-MS)

4 RESULTS
Comparison of Single-rate and Multi-rate Dual-Porosity simulation results:
Model of an idealized fractured reservoir. Matrix permeability is uniform for SR1, MR1 and MR2 water flooding simulations. A higher permeable middle layer is introduced for SR2, MR3 and MR4 simulation runs

DFM-MRDP simulations:

Gravity Drainage
Injector

Few smaller Matrix blocks All matrix blocks similar size

MRDP fracture domain

Few bigger Matrix blocks

DFM

Widely different forecasts of oil recovery from naturally fractured reservoirs Spontaneous imbibition takes place in the highly fractured domain (MR1/MR3) more readily, leading to faster recovery.
All matrix blocks similar size

MRDP fracture domain t = 3 days t = 12 days

Producer

2 PURPOSE
The DFM-MRDP approach allows us to simulate fluid flow in complex fractured geological formations. The geometry of large- and medium-scale fractures is represented explicitly with DFM models. Small-scale fractures can be modeled with the MRDP approach using physically based transfer functions.
Few bigger Matrix blocks

Water Flooding
Injector Producer

Few smaller Matrix blocks

The sparely fractured domains (MR2/MR4) control the late time recovery and the overall speed of recovery is slower. The recovery curve from the standard single-rate dual porosity model cannot be obtained through averaging of the transfer rates.

MRDP fracture domain

DFM

MRDP fracture domain

t = 3 days

t = 50 days

This research is kindly supported by ConocoPhillips, OMV, Total, Statoil, ExxonMobil and Saudi Aramco