Performance of the injection of different gases for enhanced oil recovery in a compositionally grading oil reservoir

Abstract Reservoir fluid characterization is one of the most important steps in hydrocarbon reservoir engineering calculations and studies. The reservoir fluid composition is not constant along the entire hydrocarbon column and varies along the vertical and horizontal directions. In most cases, such...

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Main Authors: Sajad Pourhadi, Aref Hashemi Fath
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2019-07-01
Series:Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13202-019-0723-9
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author Sajad Pourhadi
Aref Hashemi Fath
author_facet Sajad Pourhadi
Aref Hashemi Fath
author_sort Sajad Pourhadi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Reservoir fluid characterization is one of the most important steps in hydrocarbon reservoir engineering calculations and studies. The reservoir fluid composition is not constant along the entire hydrocarbon column and varies along the vertical and horizontal directions. In most cases, such variations have been observed along the vertical direction. This is known as compositional grading phenomenon and has a strong impact on the calculation of original hydrocarbon in place, reservoir development, and oil recovery factor. In this paper, a simulation study was carried out to investigate the effects of compositional grading on reservoir fluid properties and the injection of various gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen (N2), associated petroleum gas (APG), N2–CO2 mixture, and water-alternating-CO2 injection into different depths of a conventional black oil reservoir in the southwest of Iran in order to detect the best injection depth and achieve the highest oil recovery factor. Due to increase in minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) with depth in compositionally grading reservoirs, MMP variations with depth is one of the main challenges in determining the optimal gas injection depth in such reservoirs. The results showed that N2, APG and N2–CO2 mixture were immiscibly injected into all depths of the reservoir due to their high miscibility pressures. The occurrence of gas override and channelling phenomena during the course of immiscible gas injection significantly reduced oil displacement efficiency. On the other hand, CO2 was miscibly injected to all reservoir layers and revealed a higher efficiency in comparison with the injection of N2, APG and N2–CO2 mixture. In fact, better miscibility development was observed in upper reservoir parts, as compared to the lower parts. Through completing injection wells at upper reservoir parts and then injecting gas into these parts, one can thus further enhance oil recovery and extend production plateau. Moreover, the results confirmed that water-alternating-CO2 injection into all reservoir depths, compared to other gas injection scenarios, was associated with increased macroscopic sweep efficiency as well as enhanced oil recovery factor.
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spelling doaj.art-b18a76e44f1e48ac860d423f4273e08d2022-12-22T02:02:22ZengSpringerOpenJournal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology2190-05582190-05662019-07-0110264166110.1007/s13202-019-0723-9Performance of the injection of different gases for enhanced oil recovery in a compositionally grading oil reservoirSajad Pourhadi0Aref Hashemi Fath1Mapna Operation and Maintenance (O&M) CoMapna Operation and Maintenance (O&M) CoAbstract Reservoir fluid characterization is one of the most important steps in hydrocarbon reservoir engineering calculations and studies. The reservoir fluid composition is not constant along the entire hydrocarbon column and varies along the vertical and horizontal directions. In most cases, such variations have been observed along the vertical direction. This is known as compositional grading phenomenon and has a strong impact on the calculation of original hydrocarbon in place, reservoir development, and oil recovery factor. In this paper, a simulation study was carried out to investigate the effects of compositional grading on reservoir fluid properties and the injection of various gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen (N2), associated petroleum gas (APG), N2–CO2 mixture, and water-alternating-CO2 injection into different depths of a conventional black oil reservoir in the southwest of Iran in order to detect the best injection depth and achieve the highest oil recovery factor. Due to increase in minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) with depth in compositionally grading reservoirs, MMP variations with depth is one of the main challenges in determining the optimal gas injection depth in such reservoirs. The results showed that N2, APG and N2–CO2 mixture were immiscibly injected into all depths of the reservoir due to their high miscibility pressures. The occurrence of gas override and channelling phenomena during the course of immiscible gas injection significantly reduced oil displacement efficiency. On the other hand, CO2 was miscibly injected to all reservoir layers and revealed a higher efficiency in comparison with the injection of N2, APG and N2–CO2 mixture. In fact, better miscibility development was observed in upper reservoir parts, as compared to the lower parts. Through completing injection wells at upper reservoir parts and then injecting gas into these parts, one can thus further enhance oil recovery and extend production plateau. Moreover, the results confirmed that water-alternating-CO2 injection into all reservoir depths, compared to other gas injection scenarios, was associated with increased macroscopic sweep efficiency as well as enhanced oil recovery factor.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13202-019-0723-9Compositional gradingSTOOIPGas injectionMMPOil recovery factor
spellingShingle Sajad Pourhadi
Aref Hashemi Fath
Performance of the injection of different gases for enhanced oil recovery in a compositionally grading oil reservoir
Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology
Compositional grading
STOOIP
Gas injection
MMP
Oil recovery factor
title Performance of the injection of different gases for enhanced oil recovery in a compositionally grading oil reservoir
title_full Performance of the injection of different gases for enhanced oil recovery in a compositionally grading oil reservoir
title_fullStr Performance of the injection of different gases for enhanced oil recovery in a compositionally grading oil reservoir
title_full_unstemmed Performance of the injection of different gases for enhanced oil recovery in a compositionally grading oil reservoir
title_short Performance of the injection of different gases for enhanced oil recovery in a compositionally grading oil reservoir
title_sort performance of the injection of different gases for enhanced oil recovery in a compositionally grading oil reservoir
topic Compositional grading
STOOIP
Gas injection
MMP
Oil recovery factor
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13202-019-0723-9
work_keys_str_mv AT sajadpourhadi performanceoftheinjectionofdifferentgasesforenhancedoilrecoveryinacompositionallygradingoilreservoir
AT arefhashemifath performanceoftheinjectionofdifferentgasesforenhancedoilrecoveryinacompositionallygradingoilreservoir