Simulation of Immiscible WAG Experiments Performed in Carbonate Rocks: The Impact of Heterogeneity on Hysteresis Phenomenon

Latifa Obaid Alnuaimi, Mehran Sohrabi, Shokoufeh Aghabozorgi, Ahmed Alshmakhy

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Simulation of Water-Alternating-Gas (WAG) Experiments require precise estimation of hysteresis phenomenon in three-phase relative permeability. Most of the research available in the literature are focused on experiments performed on sandstone rocks and the study of carbonate rocks has attracted less attention. In this paper, a recently published hysteresis model by Heriot-Watt University (HWU) was used for simulation of WAG experiments conducted on mixed-wet homogenous carbonate rock. In this study, we simulated immiscible WAG experiments, which were performed under reservoir conditions on mixed-wet carbonate reservoir rock extracted from Abu Dhabi field by using real reservoir fluids. Experiments are performed with different injection scenarios and at high IFT conditions. Then, the results of the coreflood experiments were history matched using 3RPSim to generate two-phase and three-phase relative permeability data. Finally, the hysteresis model suggested by Heriot-Watt University was used for the estimation of hysteresis in relative permeability data. The performance of the model was compared with the experimental data from sandstones to evaluate the impact of heterogeneity on hysteresis phenomenon. It was shown that the available correlations for estimation of three-phase oil relative permeability fail to simulate the oil production during WAG experiments, while the modified Stone model suggested by HWU provided a better prediction. Overall, HWU hysteresis model improved the match for trapped gas saturation and pressure drop. The results show that the hysteresis effect is less dominant in the carbonate rock compared to the sandstone rock. The tracer test results show that the carbonate rock is more homogenous compared to sandstone rock. Therefore, the conclusion is that the hysteresis effect is negligible in homogenous systems.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAbu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference 2021
PublisherSociety of Petroleum Engineers
ISBN (Electronic)9781613998342
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 9 Dec 2021
Event2021 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Duration: 15 Nov 202118 Nov 2021

Conference

Conference2021 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference
Abbreviated titleADIP 2021
Country/TerritoryUnited Arab Emirates
CityAbu Dhabi
Period15/11/2118/11/21

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geochemistry and Petrology
  • Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
  • Fuel Technology

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