Multiphysics and Multiscale Methods for Modeling Fluid Flow Through Naturally Fractured Carbonate Karst Reservoirs Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • Summary Modeling and numerical simulations of Carbonate karst reservoirs is a challenging problem because of the presence of vugs and caves which are connected through fracture networks at multiple scales. In this paper, we propose a unified approach to this problem by using the Stokes-Brinkman equations which combine both Stokes and Darcy flows. These equations are capable of representing porous media (porous rock) as well as free-flow regions (fractures, vugs, and caves) in a single system of equations. The Stokes-Brinkman equations also generalize the traditional Darcy-Stokes coupling without sacrificing the modeling rigor. Thus, it allows us to use a single set of equations to represent multiphysics phenomena on multiple scales. The local Stokes-Brinkman equations are used to perform accurate scale-up. We present numerical results for permeable rock matrix populated with elliptical vugs and we consider upscaling to two different coarse-scale grids 55 and 1010. Both constant and variable background permeability matrices are considered and the effect the vugs have on the overall permeability is evaluated. The Stokes-Brinkman equations are also used to study several vug/cave configurations which are typical of Tahe oilfield in China.

published proceedings

  • SPE RESERVOIR EVALUATION & ENGINEERING

author list (cited authors)

  • Popov, P., Qin, G., Bi, L., Efendiev, Y., Kang, Z., & Li, J.

citation count

  • 91

complete list of authors

  • Popov, P||Qin, G||Bi, L||Efendiev, Y||Kang, Z||Li, J

publication date

  • April 2009