1887
  1. Home
  2. Conferences
  3. Conference Proceedings
  4. ECMOR XVI - 16th European Conference on the Mathematics of Oil Recovery
  5. Conference paper

Abstract

Summary

Carbon dioxide (CO2) flooding has been widely applied to enhance oil recovery. In low temperature CO2 injection cases, three hydrocarbon phases may be formed at equilibrium. Given the fact that connate water always exists in formations, and in many cases water injection precedes CO2 injection, four-phase equilibrium may arise where one aqueous phase plus three hydrocarbon phases coexist. In cases where CO2 dissolution into water cannot be ignored, a robust and efficient four-phase equilibrium calculation framework is necessary for a compositional reservoir simulator. This is challenging not only because the number of variables increases but also because stability analysis becomes much complicated as the number of phases increases.

In this research, a novel four-phase equilibrium calculation framework is proposed for a compositional reservoir simulator. A reduced variables method is adopted to solve four-phase flash problems efficiently and robustly. Multiphase flash calculations using reduced variables (RV) can converge to the equilibrium solution faster than formulations using conventional variables ( ). Also RV solves numerical problem in Newton iterations with trace components in aqueous phase. In addition to the implementation of the RV formulation, a systematic procedure consisting of stability analysis and flash calculations is proposed without any prior knowledge of initial K-values. Sets of different initial K-values are appropriately tested in each stability analysis.

We perform comprehensive testing using characterized fluids found in publications, in order to validate robustness of the proposed procedure. The four-phase regions in pressure-composition (PX) space can be accurately identified using our procedure. On the other hand, some points are mistakenly evaluated as the three-phase state if the existing approaches such as are used, as in the case of previously published articles on four-phase equilibrium calculations. Our framework proposed in this paper is a promising four-phase equilibrium calculation framework for a compositional reservoir simulator. The procedure achieves excellent robustness and efficiency with minimal modification to the conventional two or three-phase equilibrium calculation framework.

© EAGE Publications BV
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.201802111
2018-09-03
2024-04-25

  • From This Site

    /content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.201802111
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Chang, Y.B.
    [1990] Development and application of an equation of state compositional simulator.Ph.D. thesis, Texas Univ., Austin, TX (USA).
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Connolly, M.
    [2018] An Isenthalpic-based Compositional Framework for Nonlinear Thermal Simulation.Ph.D. thesis, Stanford University.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Coutinho, J.A.P., Jørgensen, M. and Stenby, E.H.
    [1995] Predictions of three-phase regions in CO2-oil mixtures. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 12(3), 201–208.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Eubank, P.T.
    [2006] Equations and procedures for VLLE calculations.Fluid Phase Equilibria, 241(1–2), 81–85.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Firoozabadi, A. and Pan, H.
    [2002] Fast and Robust Algorithm for Compositional Modeling: Part I -Stability Analysis Testing. SPE Journal, 7(01), 78–89.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Hossain, M. and Firoozabadi, A.
    [2001] Algorithm for Stability Analysis and Flash Calculations in Multicomponent Mixtures. Tech. rep., Reservoir Engineering Research Institute.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Iranshahr, A., Voskov, D. and Tchelepi, H.
    [2010] Generalized negative-flash method for multiphase multicomponent systems. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 299(2), 272–284.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Iranshahr, A., Voskov, D.V. and Tchelepi, H.A.
    [2012] Gibbs energy analysis: Compositional tie-simplex space.Fluid Phase Equilibria, 321, 49–58.
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Khan, S.A.
    [1992] An Expert System to Aid in Compositional Simulation of Miscible Gas Flooding.Ph.D. thesis, Texas Univ., Austin, TX (USA).
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Li, Y. and Johns, R.T.
    [2006] Rapid Flash Calculations for Compositional Simulation.SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, 521–529.
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Li, Z. and Firoozabadi, A.
    [2012] General Strategy for Stability Testing and Phase-Split Calculation in Two and Three Phases.SPE Journal, 17(04), 1,096–1,107.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Michelsen, M.L.
    [1982] The isothermal flash problem. Part II. Phase-split calculation. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 9(1), 21–40.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. [1986] Simplified flash calculations for Cubic Equations of State. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Process Design and Development, 25(1), 184–188.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Michelsen, M.L. and Mollerup, J.
    [2007] Thermodynamic Models: Fundamentals and Computational Aspects.Tie-Line Publications, second edition edn.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Mohebbinia, S., Sepehrnoori, K. and Johns, R.T.
    [2013] Four-Phase Equilibrium Calculations of Carbon Dioxide/Hydrocarbon/Water Systems With a Reduced Method.SPE Journal, 943–951.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Nghiem, L.X. and Heidemann, R.A.
    [1982] General acceleration procedure for multiphase flash calculation with application to oil-gas-water systems. Computer Modelling Group, 303–316. OCLC: 70448822.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Nghiem, L.X. and Li, Y.K.
    [1984] Computation of multiphase equilibrium phenomena with an equation of state.Fluid Phase Equilibria, 17, 77–95.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. [1986] Effect of Phase Behavior on CO2 Displacement Efficiency at Low Temperatures: Model Studies With an Equation of State. SPE Reservoir Engineering, 1(04), 414–422.
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Nichita, D.V., Broseta, D. and de Hemptinne, J.C.
    [2006] Multiphase equilibrium calculation using reduced variables. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 246(1–2), 15–27.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Okuno, R., Johns, R. and Sepehrnoori, K.
    [2010a] A New Algorithm for Rachford-Rice for Multiphase Compositional Simulation. SPE Journal, 15(02), 313–325.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. [2010b] Three-Phase Flash in Compositional Simulation Using a Reduced Method. SPE Journal, 15(03), 689–703.
     [Google Scholar]
  22. Orr, F.M.J., Yu, A.D. and Lien, C.L.
    [1981] Phase Behavior of CO2 and Crude Oil in Low-Temperature Reservoirs. Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, 21(04), 480–492.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Pan, H., Chen, Y., Sheffield, J., Chang, Y.B. and Zhou, D.
    [2015] Phase-Behavior Modeling and Flow Simulation for Low-Temperature CO2 Injection. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, 18(02), 250–263.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Pan, H., Connolly, M. and Tchelepi, H.A.
    [2017] Efficient and Robust Multiphase Equilibrium Calculations for Compositional Simulation of CO2 Injection in Low Temperature Reservoirs. In: 2017 A ChE Annual Meeting.Minneapolis, MN.
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Pan, H. and Firoozabadi, A.
    [2003] Fast and Robust Algorithm for Compositional Modeling: Part II - Two-Phase Flash Computations. SPE Journal, 8(04), 380–391.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Pan, H. and Tchelepi, H.A.
    [2011] Compositional Flow Simulation Using Reduced-Variables and Stability-Analysis Bypassing. Society of Petroleum Engineers.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Perschke, D.R.
    [1988] Equation-of-state phase-behavior modeling for compositional simulation. Ph.D. thesis, Texas Univ., Austin, TX (USA).
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Petitfrere, M. and Nichita, D.V.
    [2015] Multiphase equilibrium calculations using a reduction method.Fluid Phase Equilibria, 401, 110–126.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Rachford, H.H.J. and Rice, J.D.
    [1952] Procedure for Use of Electronic Digital Computers in Calculating Flash Vaporization Hydrocarbon Equilibrium. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 4(10), 19–3.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Rasmussen, C.P., Krejbjerg, K., Michelsen, M.L. and BjurstrÃÿm, K.E.
    [2006] Increasing the Computational Speed of Flash Calculations With Applications for Compositional, Transient Simulations. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, 9(01), 32–38.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Robinson, D.B. and Peng, D.Y.
    [1978] The characterization of the heptanes and heavier fractions for the GPA Peng-Robinson programs. GPA research report. Gas Processors Association, Tulsa, Okla.
     [Google Scholar]
  32. Turek, E.A., Metcalfe, R.S. and Fishback, R.E.
    [1988] Phase Behavior of Several CO2/ West Texas-Reservoir-Oil Systems. SPE Reservoir Engineering, 3(02), 505–516.
     [Google Scholar]
  33. Voskov, D.V. and Tchelepi, H.A.
    [2009] Compositional Space Parameterization: Theory and Application for Immiscible Displacements. SPE Journal, 14(03), 431–440.
     [Google Scholar]
  34. Yan, W. and Stenby, E.H.
    [2010] The Influence of CO2 Solubility in Brine on Simulation of CO2 Injection into Water Flooded Reservoir and CO2 WAG. Society of Petroleum Engineers.
     [Google Scholar]
  35. Younis, R.M.
    [2011] Modern Advances in Software and Solution Algorithms for Reservoir Simulation. Ph.D. thesis, Stanford University.
     [Google Scholar]
  36. Zaydullin, R.
    [2014] Compositional Space Parameterization Methods for Thermal-Compositional Simulation.Ph.D. thesis, Stanford University.
     [Google Scholar]
  37. Zaydullin, R., Voskov, D.V. and Tchelepi, H.A.
    [2016] Phase-state identification bypass method for three-phase thermal compositional simulation. Computational Geosciences, 20(3), 461–474.
     [Google Scholar]
  38. Zhu, D. and Okuno, R.
    [2015] Robust Isenthalpic Flash for Multiphase Water/Hydrocarbon Mixtures.SPE Journal, 1350–1365.
     [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.201802111
Loading
Reduced Variables Method for Four-Phase Equilibrium Calculations of Hydrocarbon-H2O-CO2 Mixtures at a Low Temperature
Conference Proceedings 2018, 1 (2018); https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.201802111
/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.201802111
/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.201802111
Loading

Data & Media loading...

Most Cited This Month Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error