Hydrocarbon Gas Flooding Optimization considering Complex Fracture Networks through Numerical Simulation in the Tight Oil Reservoirs

Abstract

Abstract Field data indicates that oil production decline quickly and the oil recovery factor is low due to low permeability and insufficient energy in the tight oil reservoirs. Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is required to improve the oil production rates of tight oil reservoirs. Gas flooding is a good means to supplement formation energy and improve oil recovery factor, especially for hydrocarbon gas flooding when CO2 is insufficient. Due to the permeability in some areas is too low, the injected gas cannot spread farther, and the EOR performance is poor. So multifractured horizontal well (MFHW) are usually used to assist gas injection in oilfields. At present, there are few studies on the optimization of hydrocarbon gas flooding parameters especially under the complex fracture network. This article uses unstructured grids to characterize the complex fracture networks, which more realistically shows the flow of formation fluids. Based on actual reservoir data, this paper establishes the numerical model of hydrocarbon gas flooding under complex fracture networks. The article conducts numerical simulation to analyze the effect of different parameters on well performance and provides the optimal injection and production parameters for hydrocarbon gas flooding in the M tight oil reservoir. The optimal injection-production well spacing of the M tight oil reservoir is about 800 to 900 m. The EOR performance is better when the total gas injection rates are about 0.45 HCPV, and gas injection rates of each well are about 3000 to 3500 m3/d (0.021 to 0.025 HCPV/a). The recommended injection-production ratio is about 1.1 to 1.2. This work can offer engineers guidance for hydrocarbon gas flooding of the MFHW with complex fracture networks. Hydrocarbon gas flooding in tight oil reservoirs can enhance oil recovery. The findings of this study can help for a better understanding of the influence of different parameters on hydrocarbon gas flooding in the M tight oil reservoir. This work can also offer engineers guidance for hydrocarbon gas flooding of the MFHW with complex fracture networks.