Numerical Study of Buoyancy-Driven Oil Cluster Jumping in Porous Media by a Dynamic Pore-Network Model

Abstract:

Buoyancy-driven oil cluster jumping in porous media is studied by a dynamic pore-network model in relation to secondary oil migration. The model has two novel aspects. First, inertia of fluid and surface roughness of throat are taken into account in simulating the jumping process. Second, a probability technique is proposed to let the model allow a longer time step. The numerical results indicate that the dynamic process of buoyancy-driven cluster jumping is caused not only by porous media heterogeneity, but also by fluid inertia and throat surface roughness. Pressure field characteristics in jumping are studied and a cluster-based pressure solving technique is proposed to reduce the computational demanding of pressure solving. Some statistical characteristics, include cluster size distribution and residual oil saturation, are also studied.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 490-491)
• Pages: 1560-1564
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.490-491.1560
• Online since: January 2014
• Authors: Zhao Bin Zhang, Mian Lin
• Keywords: Buoyancy-Driven Cluster Migration, Dynamic Pore-Network Model, Haines Jumps, Mobilization of Isolated Clusters, Secondary Oil Migration

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