Optimization of operational strategies for rich gas enhanced oil recovery based on a pilot test in the Bakken tight oil reservoir

Horizontal well drilling and multistage hydraulic fracturing have been demonstrated as effective approaches for stimulating oil production in the Bakken tight oil reservoir.However,after multiple years of production,primary oil recovery in the Bakken is generally less than 10%of the estimated original oil in place.Gas huff‘n’puff(HnP)has been tested in the Bakken Formation as an enhanced oil recovery(EOR)method;however,most field pilot test results showed no significant incremental oil production.One of the factors affecting HnP EOR performance is premature gas breakthrough,which is one of the most critical issues observed in the field because of the presence of interwell fractures.Consequently,injected gas rapidly reaches adjacent production wells without contacting reservoir rock and increasing oil recovery.Proper conformance control is therefore needed to avoid early gas breakthrough and improve EOR performance.In this study,a rich gas EOR pilot in the Bakken was carefully analyzed to collect the essential reservoir and operational data.A simulation model with 16 wells was then developed to reproduce the production history and predict the EOR performance with and without conformance control.EOR operational strategies,including single-and multiple-well HnP,with different gas injection constraints were investigated.The simulation results of single-well HnP without conformance control showed that a rich gas injection rate of at least 10 MMscfd was needed to yield meaningful incremental oil production.The strategy of conformance control via water injection could significantly improve oil production in the HnP well,but injecting an excessive amount of water also leads to water breakthrough and loss of oil production in the offset wells.By analyzing the production performance of the wells individually,the arrangement of wells was optimized for multiple-well HnP EOR.The multiwell results showed that rich gas EOR could improve oil production up to 7.4%by employing conformance control strategies.Furthermore,replacing rich gas with propane as the injection gas could result in 14%of incremental oil production.

A new model for predicting irreducible water saturation in tight gas reservoirs

The irreducible water saturation(Swir) is a significant parameter for relative permeability prediction and initial hydrocarbon reserves estimation.However,the complex pore structures of the tight rocks and multiple factors of the formation conditions make the parameter difficult to be accurately predicted by the conventional methods in tight gas reservoirs.In this study,a new model was derived to calculate Swir based on the capillary model and the fractal theory.The model incorporated different types of immobile water and considered the stress effect.The dead or stationary water(DSW) was considered in this model,which described the phenomena of water trapped in the dead-end pores due to detour flow and complex pore structures.The water film,stress effect and formation temperature were also considered in the proposed model.The results calculated by the proposed model are in a good agreement with the experimental data.This proves that for tight sandstone gas reservoirs the Swir calculated from the new model is more accurate.The irreducible water saturation calculated from the new model reveals that Swir is controlled by the critical capillary radius,DSW coefficient,effective stress and formation temperature.

Gas-Water Production of a Continental Tight-Sandstone Gas Reservoir under Different Fracturing Conditions

A numerical model of hydraulic fracture propagation is introduced for a representative reservoir(Yuanba continental tight sandstone gas reservoir in Northeast Sichuan).Different parameters are considered,i.e.,the interlayer stress difference,the fracturing discharge rate and the fracturing fluid viscosity.The results show that these factors affect the gas and water production by influencing the fracture size.The interlayer stress difference can effectively control the fracture height.The greater the stress difference,the smaller the dimensionless reconstruction volume of the reservoir,while the flowback rate and gas production are lower.A large displacement fracturing construction increases the fracture-forming efficiency and expands the fracture size.The larger the displacement of fracturing construction,the larger the dimensionless reconstruction volume of the reservoir,and the higher the fracture-forming efficiency of fracturing fluid,the flowback rate,and the gas production.Low viscosity fracturing fluid is suitable for long fractures,while high viscosity fracturing fluid is suitable for wide fractures.With an increase in the fracturing fluid viscosity,the dimensionless reconstruction volume and flowback rate of the reservoir display a non-monotonic behavior,however,their changes are relatively small.

东胜气田致密高含水气藏合采气井层间干扰影响因素

为了明确鄂尔多斯盆地北缘致密高含水气藏合采气井层间干扰及其影响因素,指导同类型气藏合采气井高效开发,以该盆地北缘东胜气田致密高含水气藏为研究对象,分析了储集层地质条件、储集层改造对合采井产层段贡献的影响,指出了该类合采气井层间干扰的主控因素。研究结果表明:(1)合采井各产层段贡献率主要受各产层段的孔隙度、渗透率及含气饱和度控制,其产层段孔隙度占主导地位;(2)储层压裂改造对于提高气井产量具有较大的作用,但对合采井各产层段的贡献率却很小;(3)对于致密高含水气藏而言,含气饱和度是合采井产层段贡献率及层间干扰的一个重要影响因子;(4)合采井各产层段之间的孔隙度级差、渗透率级差及含气饱和度级差直接影响着合采井层间干扰程度。结论认为:(1)合采井产层段的孔隙度越大、渗透性越好、含气饱和度越高,则产层段的产量贡献率越大;(2)合采井孔隙度、渗透率及含气饱和度3个参数的级差越大,层间干扰程度越大,当孔隙度级差大于1.248或渗透率级差大于2.69或含气饱和度级差大于1.22时,合采井层间干扰已经非常严重,亟需开展治理。

东胜气田A井区二叠系下石盒子组高含水气藏地质建模

为了精细描述致密高含水气藏可供开发调整的有利区、明确储集层参数的空间展布特征,以鄂尔多斯盆地东胜气田A井区二叠系下石盒子组气藏为研究对象,分析了适合高含水气藏的建模方法,综合岩心、测井、钻井等资料,借助Petrel软件建立了该区下石盒子组气藏三维地质模型。研究结果表明:①研究区整体上为北东高、南西低的宽缓单斜,区内发育两条正断层、小型鼻状隆起以及背斜构造;②盒1段河道及复合心滩规模较大,呈“砂包泥”状,盒2+3段河道及心滩规模相对较小,呈“泥包砂”状,研究区泥岩夹层占比为50%,粉砂岩夹层和致密层夹层占比为30%;③所建模型数据与实际钻井情况较为相符,能够快速高效地计算研究区天然气地质储量,计算出A井区下石盒子组气藏天然气地质储量为341.16×10^(8) m^(3)。结论认为:①利用精细水平井单层划分成果细化地层微构造可以建立全区精细构造模型;②建立水平井构型控制的沉积微相模型及隔夹层模型能有效提高物性参数模型的准确度和有效性;③沉积微相、岩石相、断层等主控因素约束的水平井气藏属性参数建模能有效提高物性参数模型的准确度和有效性,在致密高含水气藏“多、薄、窄、密、强、杂”型的储层空间中适用性好。

Theory, technology and prospects of conventional and unconventional natural gas

The development of natural gas in China has entered a golden and leap-forward stage, which is a necessary bridge to clean energy. This in-depth study on the status quo, theory, technology and prospect of natural gas development shows:(1) The global remaining proven recoverable reserves of natural gas are 186×1012 m3, and the reserves-production ratio is 52.4, indicating a solid resource base for long-term and rapid development.(2) Ten formation and distribution laws of conventional and unconventional natural gas reservoirs have been proposed. In terms of exploration geology, the theory of conventional "monolithic" giant gas fields with different gas sources, and an unconventional gas accumulation theory with continuous distribution of "sweet areas" in different lithologic reservoirs have been established; in terms of development geology, a development theory of conventional structural gas reservoirs is oriented to "controlling water intrusion", while a development theory of unconventional gas is concentrated on man-made gas reservoirs.(3) With the geological resources(excluding hydrates) of 210×1012 m3 and the total proven rate of the resources less than 2% at present, the natural gas in China will see a constant increase in reserve and production; by 2030, the proven geological reserves of natural gas are expected to reach about(6 000-7 000)×108 m3, the production of conventional and unconventional natural gas each will reach about 1 000×108 m3, and the gas consumption will reach 5 500×108 m3. The dependence on imported natural gas may be 64% by 2030, and 70% by 2050.(4) Ten measures for future development of natural gas have been proposed, including strengthening exploration in large-scale resource areas, increasing the development benefits of unconventional gas, and enhancing the peak adjusting capacity of gas storage and scale construction of liquified natural gas.

致密高含水气藏调整生产制度后动态变化及影响因素——以东胜气田锦30井区为例

为了充分认识致密高含水气藏调整生产制度后的生产规律,以鄂尔多斯盆地北缘东胜气田的锦30井区为研究对象,通过对调产井按调产比例、生产液气比、日产气量大小进行分级,分析压降速率及单井可采储量(EUR)生产动态指标变化及产生的原因,总结调产后气井的生产规律。研究结果表明:①下调生产制度井的压降速率受下调比例影响明显,随着下调比例的增加,压降速率下降比例呈直线上升;②下调生产制度井的EUR受生产液气比影响明显,随着生产液气比的增大而增大;③当提产比例小于50%时,上调生产制度井的压降速率基本不受提产比例影响,当压降速率大于50%时,上调生产制度井的压降速率受提产比例影响明显,随着提产比例增加快速上升,同时压降速率还受日产气量影响明显,随着日产气量增加而减少;④上调生产制度井的EUR受生产液气比影响明显,随着生产液气比增大而增大。结论认为:①上调井应选择日产气量大、生产液气比小的气井提产,且提产比例应小于50%;②下调生产制度井应选择生产液气比较大的气井,在满足携液的基础上尽可能增加下调比例。