Abstract
This paper deals with the implementation and validation of a new hydromechanical partial coupling methodology conducted between two commercial simulators of flow and stress. Such configuration is based on a coupling methodology developed by the Computational Geomechanics Group – ATHENA/GTEP - PUC-Rio, based on the consistent inclusion of terms in flow equation in order to approach the results of fully-coupled simulations. The IMEX® flow simulator was included in the workflow of the coupling code in order to widen the application scope of the methodology developed. To include the new option of flow simulator was required some implementation effort together with validation through simplified models. The algorithms developed to guide the programming were defined after detailed study of numerical and computational functioning of the flow software. The results obtained with the new simulator were compared with the pre-existing configuration (ECLIPSE flow simulator), considering one and two way partial coupling and fully coupled models. In the comparison scenarios set out to validate the implementation, it was evaluated changes of average pore pressure in the reservoir, compaction and subsidence, as well pore pressure variations. Comparisons with the results of pre-existing configuration and the full-coupling scheme demonstrated the success of the developed algorithm. The exchange of coupling parameters between simulators, in the new configuration, has been implemented effectively. Parametric studies of the variables also demonstrated the quality of the new configuration coupling. The rigorous choice of exchange parameters between flow and stress simulators is crucial for obtaining reliable results.
