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CONTROL OF DISPLACEMENT FRONTS IN POROUS MEDIA BY FLOW RATE
PARTITIONING
by
Mohsen Heidary-Fyrozjaee
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
(PETROLEUM ENGINEERING)
May 2008
Copyright 2008 Mohsen Heidary-Fyrozjaee
Object Description
| Title | Control of displacement fronts in porous media by flow rate partitioning |
| Author | Heidary-Fyrozjaee, Mohsen |
| Author email | heidarif@usc.edu |
| Degree | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | Petroleum Engineering |
| School | Viterbi School of Engineering |
| Date defended/completed | 2008-03-13 |
| Date submitted | 2008 |
| Restricted until | Unrestricted |
| Date published | 2008-04-10 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Yortsos, Yannis C. |
| Advisor (committee member) |
Sadhal, Satwindar Ershaghi, Iraj |
| Abstract | In modern reservoir management, optimizing the recovery efficiency of displacement processes is a fundamental problem with important economic ramifications. Given a well configuration, the optimum displacement efficiency may be achievable through controlling injection rates. Smart wells and intelligent completion have gained significant attention in recent years in the field of dynamic optimization of Enhanced Oil Recovery processes.; The specific question we address is how to partition the flow rate within the well, so that the displacement front can be steered according to pre-determined dynamics, or as is necessary. The ability to steer a front at will is of obvious significance. Given the reservoir geology, one can for example, steer the front away from flow obstacles, affect a piston-like displacement in heterogeneous formations or otherwise control the displacement process as needed.; The objective of this thesis is to investigate the steering of the front by partitioning the injection rates along the well. First, the problem is addressed in a simple rectangular geometry based on potential flow. It is assumed that the flow is potential and that the displacement is at a unit mobility ratio. These assumptions are for mathematical convenience only and can be relaxed. They allow, however, significant insight into the problem. When the reservoir is homogeneous and isotropic, an integral equation in an analytical form is derived, the solution of which determines the desired injection rate profile. A similar approach applies for an anisotropic or a heterogeneous system, except that the kernel in the integral equation must be determined numerically. This is done either by repeated calculations of the Green’s function in a heterogeneous system or for a modified two well system. For the solution of the integral (Fredholm) equation, a regularization technique is necessary. However, it is found that numerical instabilities do develop, even with the use of regularization, for later times, when transverse cross-flow is large. Conversely, the instabilities diminish with a more stratified structure. The application of the technique is highlighted and extended to heterogeneous systems where itscomplexity and the solution were studied. Also in a forward displacement problem, the effect of rate fluctuations on the front dynamics were analyzed in a semi-infinite porous media. We considered the special case of injection rate with one harmonic term. It was found that the front is less sensitive to the fluctuations in rate for larger harmonic terms.; The results of this study find applications to the rapidly emerging field of smart wells and the optimization of displacement problems in oil reservoirs using flow rate control. |
| Keyword | fluid fronts; porous media; intelligent wells; rate partitioning; front control |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m1095 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | Heidary-Fyrozjaee, Mohsen |
| Repository name | Libraries, University of Southern California |
| Repository address | Los Angeles, California |
| Repository email | http://www.usc.edu/isd/libraries/services/ask_a_librarian/email/ |
| Filename | etd-HeidaryFyrozjaee-20080410 |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume26/etd-HeidaryFyrozjaee-20080410.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 1 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Full text | CONTROL OF DISPLACEMENT FRONTS IN POROUS MEDIA BY FLOW RATE PARTITIONING by Mohsen Heidary-Fyrozjaee A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PETROLEUM ENGINEERING) May 2008 Copyright 2008 Mohsen Heidary-Fyrozjaee |
