IMPES Method

Objective
To obtain a single pressure equation for each
gridblock by combining all flow equations to
eliminate saturation unknowns.
Capillary pressure and transmissibility have to
be evaluated explicitly (at Time Level n) or at
the old iteration level, k.
 Steps Involved
The pressure equation is written for each grid
block n=1,2,N and resulting set of equations
is solved, directly or iteratively, for the oil
phase pressure distribution.
The explicit solution for the saturation
unknowns by substituting pressures at tn+1 into
appropriate flow equations for individual flow
equations for individual grid blocks.
 Oil/Water Model
Equations of black-oil model are used.
 Now in this equations, Sgn=0 and putting this
value in above equations
 The pressure equation for gridblock n may be
obtained by combining two equations such
that the term of water saturation diminishes.
 This is obtained by multiplying the constant A
in equation-(9.600) and result to equation-
(9.599) and equate the coefficient of water
saturation to zero.
Combined Oil and Water Equation
Substitute the value of A in equation-(9.602)
Pressure Equation
 Classical IMPES
IMPES method of the solution of oil and water
flow model consists of two consecutive steps.
First step involves writing pressure equation for
each grid block n=1, 2, N and solving system of
N-coupled equations for oil phase pressure
distribution at time level n+1.
Second step involves finding water saturation at
time level n+1 by substituting the value of oil
phase pressure obtained in the first step into the
water equation for individual grid blocks.
Where n=1,2,,N.
The first step require iteration of constants Co, Cw, Bo and Bw at time level n+1 to
preserve material balance, the second step is explicit and Cwwn and Cwpn are
evaluated at converged solution from the first step. The water saturation is used to
calculate capillary pressure at time level n+1.
Treatment of Block Transmissibility
As in single phase flow the transmissibility at the
grid block boundaries must be carefully
calculated. For example, in two phase flow
Transmissibility term contains the rock and grid
properties as A, h and absolute permeability, fluid
property as water viscosity and rock/fluid
property as relative permeability.
For rock, grid properties and fluid properties,
harmonic and arithmetic averages are
appropriate respectively. What type of average
suitable for rock/fluid property?
 The single point and two point upstream
weightings are the first order and second
order approximations, respectively and both
the techniques lead to same physical solution.
Latter technique gives the sharper solution
fronts for the same number of gridblocks.
 Improved IMPES
Most of the computational time in the IMPES
method is spent on the implicit calculation of
pressure. It follows from the mechanics of fluid
flow in the porous media that pressure changes
less rapidly in time than saturation.
Furthermore, the constraint on the time steps is
primarily used in the explicit calculation of
saturation. For all these reasons, it is appropriate
to take much larger time step for the pressure
than for the saturation.