IORSim - an add on tool to ECLIPSE for simulating IOR processes

Sodium Silicate gelation and reservoir flow modification

Challenges

Complex flow

pattern

Multiple Wells

Temp. gradients

Geo-chemistry

Oil Displacement

Water Chemistry

• Mature fields• Chemical EOR

The Approach

EclipseReservoir simulator

IORSim(*)

advect components

Geo-chemistry

Restart FilesSw, Po, Pw, qw

…

Oil Rate

Water RateSO4

Mg

Combine multiphase models with chemistry - interpret & upscale lab experiments

Geochemistry

Polymer, Silicate

Surfactant

MEOR

Nanoparticles?

IORCoreSim(DOUCS)

Pore scale(LB & DPD) IORSim

Geo-chemistry

Polymer, Silicate

MEORSurfactant ?

ECLIPSE, OPM, …

+

INJ I

PRD I

INJ III

INJ II

Results IOR Norway 2015Simulated Pore Water Chemistry

Produced water composition

Mg ions

Reservoir pH

SO4 Model Constant Temp

SO4 Model Temp Gradients

Run Eclipse𝚫𝒕

Stop Eclipseprocess

Run IORSim𝚫𝒕, calc X

Update SATNUM

IORSim Backward Coupling

• SATNUM tells ECLIPSE which rel perm curve to use

• X = EOR response, e.g.: • Low sal reduce Sor• Silicate reduce Perm

Predefined rel perm curves

Sodium Silicate Chemistry

www.clker.com/

5wt%Sodium Silicate

Sebastian Wilhelm and Matthias Kind, Polymers 2015, 7, 2504–2521; doi:10.3390/polym7121528

Na2O:(SiO2)n+

HCl

Oligomeric silicic acid Phase separation

Nano sized

aggregation

gelationGelation time

A. Stavland, H. Jonsbråten, O. Vikane, K. Skrettingland and H. Fischer, In-depth Water Diversion Using Sodium Silicate – Preparation for Single Well Field Pilot on Snorre, 16th European Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery Cambridge, UK, 12-14 April 2011

Block2𝜇m

A. Stavland, H. Jonsbråten, O. Vikane, K. Skrettingland and H. Fischer, In-depth Water Diversion Using Sodium Silicate – Preparation for Single Well Field Pilot on Snorre, 16th European Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery Cambridge, UK, 12-14 April 2011

TempLab Results

wt%

HC

l

𝑡𝑔𝑒𝑙 = 𝜁𝑒𝛼[𝑆𝑖]𝑒𝛽[𝐻𝐶𝑙]𝑒𝛾√[𝐶𝑎]𝑒𝐸𝑎/𝑅𝑇

Silicate concentration [wt%]

How to use 𝑡𝑔𝑒𝑙 in IORsim?

• Need to Capture basic features:

1. Temperature, Si, Ca, HCl effect on gel time

2. Formation of nano (not pore blocking silicate) particles

Sodium Silicate Gel Formation Model

• Rate of Si loss equal to gel formation:

o𝑑𝐶𝑆𝑖

𝑑𝑡= −

𝑑𝐶𝑔𝑒𝑙

𝑑𝑡= −𝑘𝐶𝑆𝑖

𝑛

o 0𝑐𝑔𝑒𝑙 1

𝐶𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝐶𝑔𝑒𝑙 = − 𝐶0

𝐶 1

𝐶𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝐶𝑆𝑖 = − 0

𝑡𝑔𝑒𝑙 𝑘 𝑑𝑡,

o 𝑡𝑔𝑒𝑙 =−1

𝑘 1−𝑛𝐶01−𝑛 𝐶𝑔𝑒𝑙−𝐶0

𝐶0

1−𝑛− 1

Rate const. fit to data

Concentration of Pore blocking silica

Fit to 𝑡𝑔𝑒𝑙 obtained from Lab Data

0.001

0.01

0.1

1

10

100

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Norm

GelTime

wt%silica

t_gel[Model]

t_gel[Lab]

• 𝑘 = 10−2𝜁𝑒−𝛽[𝐻𝐶𝑙]

⋅ 𝑒−𝛾√[𝐶𝑎]𝑒−𝐸𝑎/𝑅𝑇

• 𝑛 = 4• 𝐶𝑔𝑒𝑙 = 0.3𝑤𝑡%

4 aqueous species + 1 mineral phase

1. Silica

2. HCl

3. Mobile Gel

4. Calcium

5. Immobile Gel

Sodium Silicate

Activator

Nano size gel particles

Divalent ions

Rigid gel

Permeability modification

• Gel formation increases specific surface area:

– 𝑆 𝑡 = 𝑆 0 + 𝑌𝑆𝐼𝑚𝐺𝑒𝑙

– 𝑘 =𝜙

2𝜏𝑆2

𝑘

𝑘0= 1 + 𝑌

2𝜏𝑘0

𝜙0𝑟𝜇−1

−2

– If 𝑌 = 1𝑤𝑡%:

• 𝑘0 ∼ 1𝐷 ⇒𝑘0

𝑘≃ 4 but 𝑘0 ∼ 10𝑚𝐷 ⇒

𝑘0

𝑘≃ 1.2

Nano sized gel particles in aggregates𝑟𝜇 ∼ 10𝑛𝑚

wt% Immobile gel

The Snurre Field History

• Discovered in 1983

• Reservoir Temperature 90C

• Water injection started in 1992

• Water Breakthrough Summer 1992

• Silicate injection April-May 1993

Snurre PermeabilityView from the side

100mD

4000mD

240x30x7 = 50400 blocks

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View from top

Temp – View from top Temp – View from side

Water Saturation – View from top Water saturatio – View from side

Temp – View from top Temp – View from side

Water Saturation – View from top Water saturatio – View from side

Temp – View from top Temp – View from side

Water Saturation – View from top Water saturatio – View from side

Temp – View from top Temp – View from side

Water Saturation – View from top Water saturatio – View from side

Production & Pressure without treatmentInjector Producer

Water Rate

BHP

BHP

5wt% Silca injection for 65 days

Silicate wt% Calcium wt%

Permeability reduction

Perm reduction – View from top Perm Reduction – View from side

Perm reduction – View from top Perm Reduction – View from side

Perm reduction – View from top Perm Reduction – View from side

Perm reduction – View from top Perm Reduction – View from side

Perm reduction – View from top Perm Reduction – View from side

Perm reduction – View from top Perm Reduction – View from side

Water Saturation Profile

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Water Saturation Profile

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Water Saturation Profile

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Water Saturation Profile

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Water Saturation Profile

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Water Saturation Profile

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Water Saturation Profile

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Water Saturation Profile

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Water Saturation Profile

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Water Saturation Profile

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Production & Pressure data with treatmentInjector Producer

Water Rate

BHP

Water Rate

Oil Rate

BHP

Increased recovery and reduced water cut

Additional Oil

Reduced Water Prod

Effect of grid size

240x30x7 cells

60x15x7 cells

Remarks• ECLIPSE is slow compared to IORSim

– For design:

• Run ECLIPSE once

• Use IORSim without backward coupling to design optimal slug then run full simulation

• Grid resolution vital for design– Necessary to have local grid refinement in IORSim

• Silicate model not complete– Not fully taken into account salt effects

– Effect of mineral dissolution/precipitation and pH

– Filtration model silica gel particles

Conclusions

• IORSim and ECLIPSE coupling works well

• The full potential in this technology is to apply to realistic field cases

• Simulation grid could have a huge impact on the EOR effect