Open Access

ARTICLE

Optimization of Gas-Flooding Fracturing Development in Ultra-Low Permeability Reservoirs

by Lifeng Liu¹, Menghe Shi², Jianhui Wang³, Wendong Wang^2,*, Yuliang Su², Xinyu Zhuang²

1 Tight Oil Research Institute, PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, Beijing, 100083, China
2 Key Laboratory of Unconventional Oil & Gas Development, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580, China
3 Oil & Gas Technology Research Institute, Changqing Oilfield Company, Xi’an, 710018, China

* Corresponding Author: Wendong Wang. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Solid, Fluid, and Thermal Dynamics in the Development of Unconventional Resources )

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2024, 20(3), 595-607. https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2023.041962

Received 12 May 2023; Accepted 20 September 2023; Issue published 12 January 2024

Abstract

Ultra-low permeability reservoirs are characterized by small pore throats and poor physical properties, which are at the root of well-known problems related to injection and production. In this study, a gas injection flooding approach is analyzed in the framework of numerical simulations. In particular, the sequence and timing of fracture channeling and the related impact on production are considered for horizontal wells with different fracture morphologies. Useful data and information are provided about the regulation of gas channeling and possible strategies to delay gas channeling and optimize the gas injection volume and fracture parameters. It is shown that in order to mitigate gas channeling and ensure high production, fracture length on the sides can be controlled and longer fractures can be created in the middle by which full gas flooding is obtained at the fracture location in the middle of the horizontal well. A Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm is provided by which the gas injection volume and the fracture parameters of gas injection flooding can be optimized. It is shown that an improved oil recovery factor as high as 6% can be obtained.

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Keywords

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