Numerical investigation of single- And two-phase flow in porous media with a bifurcated fracture

Zhu，Zhengwen1,2; Liu，Jianjun3; Liu，Hejuan3; Wu，Mingyang4; Song，Zhenlong5

2021-05-01

10.1063/5.0052229

PHYSICS OF FLUIDS   影响因子和分区

1070-6631

1089-7666

Considering that fractures arising from fracturing systems have bifurcation characteristics, mathematical models for single- and two-phase flow in porous media with a bifurcated fracture (BFPM) were established. The phase-field method was adopted to trace the oil-water interface, and the influence of fracture morphology, boundary conditions, gravity, and wettability on imbibition in BFPM was discussed. The results are as follows: (1) during single-phase flow in BFPM, the velocity in the bifurcated fracture was several orders of magnitude greater than that in the matrix. (2) Imbibition in BFPM includes countercurrent imbibition and the combination of co-current and countercurrent imbibition. The bifurcated fracture produces an increase in matrix pores that participate in imbibition, thus increasing the oil recovery factor by approximately 30% during simulation. (3) Closing an outlet of the bifurcated fracture has minimal effect on imbibition during the early stage (approximately the first 6 s) and an inhibitory effect during the middle and late stages (after 6 s), which leads to a decrease in oil recovery factor. (4) When the surface tension value is low (0.1 and 1 mN/m), disregarding the effect of gravity during imbibition results in an overestimated oil recovery factor value, while a large surface tension value (20 and 25 mN/m) produces the opposite effect. (5) Similar to the laws followed in porous media with pure pores and a single fracture, improving BFPM wettability increases the oil recovery factor value. This study can provide guidance for the production of low-permeability reservoirs.

SCI ; EI

英语

其他

WOS:000677499600014

20212210438217

Fracture ; Low permeability reservoirs ; Morphology ; Petroleum reservoir engineering ; Phase transitions ; Porous materials ; Surface tension ; Wetting

Petroleum Deposits:512.1 ; Petroleum Deposits : Development Operations:512.1.2 ; Fluid Flow, General:631.1 ; Physical Chemistry:801.4 ; Physical Properties of Gases, Liquids and Solids:931.2 ; Materials Science:951

PHYSICS

2-s2.0-85106762933

Scopus

1.School of Geoscience and Technology,Southwest Petroleum University,Chengdu, Sichuan,610500,China
2.Institute of Architectural Engineering,Sichuan Institute of Industrial Technology,Deyang,618500,China
3.State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering,Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Wuhan,430071,China
4.State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control,School of Resources and Safety Engineering,Chongqing University,Chongqing,400030,China
5.Department of Earth and Space Sciences,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,518055,China

Zhu，Zhengwen,Liu，Jianjun,Liu，Hejuan,et al. Numerical investigation of single- And two-phase flow in porous media with a bifurcated fracture[J]. PHYSICS OF FLUIDS,2021,33(5).

Zhu，Zhengwen,Liu，Jianjun,Liu，Hejuan,Wu，Mingyang,&Song，Zhenlong.(2021).Numerical investigation of single- And two-phase flow in porous media with a bifurcated fracture.PHYSICS OF FLUIDS,33(5).

Zhu，Zhengwen,et al."Numerical investigation of single- And two-phase flow in porous media with a bifurcated fracture".PHYSICS OF FLUIDS 33.5(2021).