Characterization of Primary and Secondary Recovery Processes in an Oil Reservoir: Theoretical Assumptions and Experimental Limitations
Part 15
1. Can we try to validate the ‘laboratory results’ with that of ‘results from a streamline simulator’ (although, streamline simulators have a relatively ‘lesser numerical dispersion and grid orientation effects’ with computationally less intensive), if the oil-water displacement flow patterns remain not associated with the dominant viscous forces, while capillary effects and gravity effects (water slumping) play a crucial role?
Also, how will we accommodate the significant material balance errors emanating from various streamline numerical solution techniques?
Further, to what extent, the stream-line numerical solution techniques will be able to provide reasonable results, when the rate of fluid flow in the well gets altered significantly; or, when a new well remains added; or, when an older well remains shut-in (that leads to shifting of streamlines; and in turn, causing a significant departure of flow rates directed to each injector; and in turn, leading to an unbalanced injection from well to well, which will eventually attempt to sweep the oil in the reservoir non-uniformly)?
2. Would it remain feasible to increase the oil recovery by secondary recovery, in the absence of a natural water flood, where brine flux from a relatively larger adjacent aquifer would be driving the oil?
What happens if the reservoir is of poor quality (with low porosity and permeability values); with strongly oil-wet nature; and having a low quality & high viscosity oil?
In addition, how exactly, the performance of secondary recovery will get affected, if the number of producing wells are drilled with a relatively larger well spacing, while producing at higher flow rates?
Towards a successful secondary recovery, would it remain feasible to drill around 10,000 wells in the second six month period, even though, the number of wells drilled during the first six month, following the discovery, hangs around only 100 wells?
Suresh Kumar Govindarajan
https://home.iitm.ac.in/gskumar/
https://iitm.irins.org/profile/61643