Multiphase flow in oil and gas reservoirs

Abstract

The porous rocks that make up oil and gas reservoirs are composed of complex combinations of pores, pore throats, and fractures. Pore networks are groups of these void spaces that are connected by pathways that have the same fluid entry pressures. Any fluid movement in pore networks will be along the pathways that require the minimum energy expenditure. After emplacement of hydrocarbons in a reservoir, fluid saturations, capillary pressure, and energy are in equilibrium, a significant amount of the reservoir energy is stored at the interface between the fluids. Any mechanism that changes the pressure, volume, chemistry, or temperature of the fluids in the reservoir results in a state of energy non-equilibrium. Existing reservoir engineering equations do not address this non-equilibrium condition, but rather assume that all reservoirs are in equilibrium. The assumption of equilibrium results in incorrect descriptions of fluid flow in energy non-equilibrium reservoirs. This, coupled with the fact that drilling-induced permeability damage is common in these reservoirs, often results in incorrect conclusions regarding the potential producibility of the well. Relative permeability damage, damage that can change which fluids are produced from a hydrocarbon reservoir, can occur even in very permeable reservoirs. Use of dependent variables in reservoir analysis does not correctly describe the physics of fluid flow in the reservoir and will lead to potentially incorrect answers regarding producibility of the reservoir.