Discussion on the Reconstruction of Medium/Low-Permeability Gas Reservoirs Based on Seepage Characteristics

Abstract

The construction of underground gas storage mostly focuses on depleted gas reservoirs. However, the depleted gas reservoir used to build underground gas storage in China is located far from the main gas consumption economic zone. It is necessary to reconstruct underground gas storage using nearby reservoirs in order to meet the needs of economic development. The complex three-phase seepage characteristics encountered in the process of reconstruction of underground gas storage reservoirs seriously affect their storage and injection production capacities. Combined with the mechanism of multiphase seepage and the multicycle injection production mode during the process of gas storage construction, the feasibility of rebuilding gas storage in medium- and low-permeability reservoirs was evaluated through relative permeability experiments and core injection production experiments. The results showed that the mutual driving of two-phase oil–water systems will affect the storage space and seepage capacity, that the adverse effect will be weakened after multiple cycles, and that increasing the gas injection cycle can enhance the gas-phase seepage capacity and improve the crude oil recovery. Therefore, we found that it is feasible to reconstruct underground gas storage in medium- and low-permeability reservoirs, which lays a foundation for the development of underground gas storage in China.