Embedded Discrete Fracture Model (EDFM) for Gel Propagation through Fractured Reservoirs: Simulation and Experimental Investigation

Conformance control has long been a compelling subject in improving waterflood oil recovery. The conformance control processes including Preformed Particle Gel (PPG) treatment are usually performed in mature water flooded reservoirs which typically contain fractures or very high permeability streaks. By blocking the areas previously swept by water, subsequently injected water is allowed to access the remaining unswept portions of the reservoir and thereby increase the ultimate oil recovery. Modeling the propagation of PPG through these fractures and conduits were considered as new challenges for this research study. Numerical simulation of fluid-flow in fractured reservoirs is complex due to the large contrast between matrix and fracture permeabilities, the extremely small size of fracture apertures, and the unstructured grid. One technique that has recently received a great deal of attention in achieving the so-called “in-depth water shut-off” is preformed gel injection. Discrete Fracture Model (DFM) has been proposed to model fracture networks. The integration of gel treatment and Embedded Discrete Fracture Modeling (EDFM) will help to select future conformance control candidates for a given field and to optimize the gel chemistry and treatment.