Multiphase flow in heterogeneous porous media: A classical finite element method versus an implicit pressure-explicit saturation-based mixed finite element-finite volume approach

Abstract

Various discretization methods exist for the numerical simulation of multiphase flow in porous media. In this paper, two methods are introduced and analyzed-a full-upwind Galerkin method which belongs to the classical finite element methods, and a mixed-hybrid finite element method based on an implicit pressure-explicit saturation (IMPES) approach. Both methods are derived from the governing equations of two-phase flow. Their discretization concepts are compared in detail. Their efficiency is discussed using several examples