Abstract
This paper presents a three-dimensional, three-phase, nine-component mathematical model that can be used as a practical tool for the simulation study on the combination process of profile control and polymer flooding (CPPCPF). This model considers the major mechanisms, principal physico-chemical phenomena and important influence factors during the complicated process, such as the gel formation, mobility performance, blockage characters, gel movability in porous media and various effects caused by gel system as well as the factors involving in the process of polymer flooding. Based on the model, the corresponding numerical simulator is developed subsequently, which can be used for simulating primary production, water or polymer flooding, crosslinked profile control, in-situ permeability modification, low concentration flowing gel (LCFG) injection and any combination of above processes. The simulator has been applied to simulate LCFG experiments with the good consistency between laboratory and simulation results. Effects of various factors on displacement mechanism and oil recovery have been studied based on multi-serial simulating results. Several oilfield pilot tests according to the simulation studies and injection designs have been carrying out with encouraging preliminary results. The applications have shown the powerful capability of the simulator, which is very useful for CPPCPF mechanism study and oilfield performance prediction.
