Coupled reservoir simulation and basin models - reservoir charging and fluid mixing

Dan Carruthers¹, Zhangxin Chen², Steve Larter², Jennifer Adams², and Ian Gates^2
1Permedia Research, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
²University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Perhaps the most important unconstrained aspect of petroleum systems analysis concerns the charging and emplacement of petroleum to a structure or prospect. Charge rate, leakage and spill control petroleum residence time in the reservoir, which is fundamental for prediction of biodegradation rates, seal integrity (failure) and oil quality, all of which are affected by fluid mixing processes. While forward models can estimate plausible charge rates based on thermal histories, there are no field data proxies for charge rate which are necessary to constrain migration and charge models. To solve this problem, we are coupling high resolution, full physics reservoir simulation protocols to full 4D basin models such that gradients in petroleum composition from models and from chemical analyses can be used to constrain charge rates. This new generation of hybrid reservoir simulator/basin models necessitates rapid high resolution fluid mixing solvers and multi-component fluids.

We will be presenting an update from a multi-year research and development project whose goal is the development of compositional fluid mixing simulators that can be coupled with basin simulators. These will enable the forward simulation of detailed reservoir charging and fluid property evolution, coupling the effects of advection, diffusion, gravity segregation, and biodegradation to predict, for example, the development of viscosity and density gradients in biodegraded oil reservoirs.

 

AAPG Search and Discover Article #90066©2007 AAPG Hedberg Conference, The Hague, The Netherlands

 

AAPG Search and Discover Article #90066©2007 AAPG Hedberg Conference, The Hague, The Netherlands