Molecular Dynamics Numerical Simulation of Adsorption Characteristics and Exploitation Limits in Shale Oil Microscopic Pore Spaces

Microscopic pore structure in continental shale oil reservoirs is characterized by small pore throats and complex micro-structures.The adsorption behavior of hydrocarbons on the pore walls exhibits unique physical and chemical properties.Therefore,studying the adsorption morphology of hydrocarbon components in nanometer-sized pores and clarifying the exploitation limits of shale oil at the microscopic level are of great practical significance for the efficient development of continental shale oil.In this study,molecular dynamics simulations were employed to investigate the adsorption characteristics of various single-component shale oils in inorganic quartz fissures,and the influence of pore size and shale oil hydrocarbon composition on the adsorption properties in the pores was analyzed.The results show that different molecules have different adsorption capacities in shale oil pores,with lighter hydrocarbon components(C6H14)exhibiting stronger adsorption abilities.For the same adsorbed molecule,the adsorption amount linearly increases with the increase in pore diameter,but larger pores contribute more to shale oil adsorption.In shale pores,the thickness of the adsorption layer formed by shale oil molecules ranges from 0.4 to 0.5 nm,which is similar to the width of alkane molecules.Shale oil in the adsorbed state that is difficult to be exploited is mainly concentrated in the first adsorption layer.Among them,the volume fraction of adsorbed shale oil in 6 nm shale pores is 40.8%,while the volume fraction of shale oil that is difficult to be exploited is 16.2%.

Excess pore pressure behavior and evolution in deep coalbed methane reservoirs

Deep coalbed methane(DCBM),an unconventional gas reservoir,has undergone significant advancements in recent years,sparking a growing interest in assessing pore pressure dynamics within these reservoirs.While some production data analysis techniques have been adapted from conventional oil and gas wells,there remains a gap in the understanding of pore pressure generation and evolution,particularly in wells subjected to large-scale hydraulic fracturing.To address this gap,a novel technique called excess pore pressure analysis(EPPA)has been introduced to the coal seam gas industry for the first time to our knowledge,which employs dual-phase flow principles based on consolidation theory.This technique focuses on the generation and dissipation for excess pore-water pressure(EPWP)and excess pore-gas pressure(EPGP)in stimulated deep coal reservoirs.Equations have been developed respectively and numerical solutions have been provided using the finite element method(FEM).Application of this model to a representative field example reveals that excess pore pressure arises from rapid loading,with overburden weight transferred under undrained condition due to intense hydraulic fracturing,which significantly redistributes the weight-bearing role from the solid coal structure to the injected fluid and liberated gas within artificial pores over a brief timespan.Furthermore,field application indicates that the dissipation of EPWP and EPGP can be actually considered as the process of well production,where methane and water are extracted from deep coalbed methane wells,leading to consolidation for the artificial reservoirs.Moreover,history matching results demonstrate that the excess-pressure model established in this study provides a better explanation for the declining trends observed in both gas and water production curves,compared to conventional practices in coalbed methane reservoir engineering and petroleum engineering.This research not only enhances the understanding of DCBM reservoir behavior but also offers insights applicable to production analysis in other unconventional resources reliant on hydraulic fracturing.

A numerical investigation on deep shale gas recovery

In recent years,exploration and development of deep shale gas(at a burial depth of 3,500-4,500 m)has become a hotspot in the industry.However,the state of gas storage and transporting mechanism for deep shale gas under high pressure and temperature have not been thoroughly explored,compared with its shallower counterpart.A numerical model for deep shale gas recovery considering multi-site nonisothermal excess adsorption has been established and applied using Finite Element Method.Results from the simulation reveal the following.(1)Excess desorption significantly impacts early-stage performance of deep shale gas well;the conventional way for shallower shale gas development,in which the density of adsorbed gas is not distinguished from that of free gas,overestimates the gas in place(GIP).(2)Although thermal stimulation can speed up the desorption and transporting of deep shale gas,the incremental volume of produced gas,which is impacted not only by seepage velocity but also density of gas,is insignificant,far from expectation.Only an additional 2.03%of cumulative gas would be produced under treatment temperature of 190C and initial reservoir temperature of 90C in a period of 5 years.(3)Matrix porosity,which can be measured on cores in laboratory and/or estimated by using well logging and geophysical data,is the most favorable parameter for deep shale gas recovery.With 60%increase in matrix porosity,an extra 67.25%shale gas on a daily base would be recovered even after 5-year depletion production;(4)Production rate for gas wells in shale reservoirs at 3,500 m and 4,500 m deep would be raised by 5.4%in a 5-year period if the depth of target interval would increase by 340 m without thermal treatment according to the numerical model proposed in the study.