Effect of water flow in gravel pack with regards to heavy oil production

Abstract

The objective of the thesis is to see how the effect of water is displacing the oil through gravel pack. Experimental solutions have been developed for displacement performance of two vertical displacements and one horizontal. The two vertical displacements were done to calculate the absolute permeability, relative permeabilities and saturations. Production performance and displacement efficiency was also determined to find out the recovery of the vertical displacement. The horizontal displacement was performed to see the occurrence of viscous fingering. It was assumed that after a certain time, water started to cone upwards towards the well and entered the gravel pack. Then the experimental part was to see on how the water was fingering through the gravel pack. Viscous fingering appeared in both horizontal and vertical displacement. The vertical displacement was also affected by gravity segregation. This was because the displacing water is denser than the displaced oil and the displacing direction is vertical upwards. Two models have been designed for modeling the gravel pack. The original model was based on experimental setup of the formation and the gravel pack, to see water coning effect in gravel pack. The revised model is the horizontal model used for experimental visualization of the water flow through gravel pack.