Abstract
In this paper, the influence of micro-fractures on the flow of tight reservoirs is studied on the microscopic scale. Three-dimensional digital cores of fractured tight sandstone with varying fracture apertures, lengths, and dip angles are constructed using computed tomography (CT) scans. Pore-network models are built using the three-dimensional digital cores to simulate the flow in tight oil reservoirs. The effects of the micro-fracture aperture, length and dip angle on the pore-throat structure, single-phase flow, and two-phase flow for fracture surfaces with/without roughness are studied. The study demonstrates different influences of micro-fracture characteristics on the flow, and the fracture aperture has the most critical effect. Meanwhile, the roughness of the micro-fracture makes a difference in addition to the three factors of micro-fractures. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the effective development of tight sandstone reservoirs.
Highlights
Tight oil is an unconventional oil and gas resource that is widely distributed around the world [1]
Each digital core is constructed with a micro-fracture with roughness and without roughness
In order to investigate of micro-fractures the flow of tightare reservoirs, cores by methodPermeability by method
Summary
Tight oil is an unconventional oil and gas resource that is widely distributed around the world [1]. In the past few decades, tight reservoirs have investigated extensively as the focus of the oil industry [2]. Tight oil reservoirs are characterized by more heterogeneous matrix, more complicated pore structures, much lower porosity and permeability [3,4]. Conventional flow mathematics models based on Darcy’s law are no longer valid [5,6]. The microscopic pore structure of a tight reservoir determines its macroscopic properties and flow law and it has typical multi-scale characteristics [7]. This paper reported on the influence of the variation of the apertures, lengths and dip angles of micro-fractures on a few critical physical characteristics of tight reservoirs
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