PETROLEUM ENGINEERING AND ROCK MECHANICS GROUP Pore Scale Modelling of Non-Newtonian Flow Xavier Lopez Martin Blunt Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London 8th January 2001 8th January 2001
IMPERIAL COLLEGE CONSORTIUM ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IMPERIAL COLLEGE CONSORTIUM BHP Department of Trade and Industry Enterprise Oil Gaz de France Japan National Oil Corporation PDVSA-Intevep Schlumberger Shell Statoil Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London 8th January 2001
Aims and Objectives Project Motivation Research Plans CONTENTS Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London 8th January 2001
Effects of non-Newtonian rheology on flow in porous media: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Effects of non-Newtonian rheology on flow in porous media: Multi-phase flow properties (Kr, wettability and saturation changes…) Modify PERM mixed-wet network code to cope with complex rheology Experimental validation Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London 8th January 2001
The oil industry and complex fluids PROJECT MOTIVATION The oil industry and complex fluids Drilling, fracturing, well treatments and stimulation (fracturing), water control (gel blocking)… … physics of complex fluids flow in porous media still poorly understood Our approach: describing the physics at the pore-scale using network modelling ( “platform” of investigation) Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London 8th January 2001
= f () Non linear system Pin Pout Q = 0 Q = C . P RESEARCH PLANS pk pc Shear rate, Viscosity, A. P K = . Qt . L eff = f () eff Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London 8th January 2001
= . Power law fluid RESEARCH PLANS Methodology1 : Derive an expression relating effective viscosity and pressure drop Initial guess Solve for flow Update pressure field, and viscosity guess Recompute pressure, iterate until convergence 1Sorbie et al, The rheology of pseudo-plastic fluids in porous media using network modelling Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London 8th January 2001
Complications RESEARCH PLANS Multi-phase flow: Flow in layers Non circular elements Momentum transfer Cross flow interaction (i.e. between the phase in the centre of the pore and in the corners) Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London 8th January 2001
Experimental Validation RESEARCH PLANS Experimental Validation Collaboration with Schlumberger Cambridge Research Centre: Ideal systems (single phase Newtonian and non-Newtonian flow) Micromodel experiments Core flooding experiments Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London 8th January 2001