• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• 제59권1호
• /
• pp.37-57
• /
• 2016

Reservoir geomechanics can play an important role in hydrocarbon recovery mechanism. In $CO_2$-EOR process, reservoir geomechanics analysis is concerned with the simultaneous study of fluid flow and the mechanical response of the reservoir under $CO_2$ injection. Accurate prediction of geomechanical effects during $CO_2$ injection will assist in modeling the Carbon dioxide recovery process and making a better design of process and production equipment. This paper deals with the implementation of a program (FORTRAN 90 interface code), which was developed to couple conventional reservoir (ECLIPSE) and geomechanical (ABAQUS) simulators, using a partial coupling algorithm. A geomechanics reservoir partially coupled approach is presented that allows to iteratively take the impact of geomechanics into account in the fluid flow calculations and therefore performs a better prediction of the process. The proposed approach is illustrated on a realistic field case. The reservoir geomechanics coupled models show that in the case of lower maximum bottom hole injection pressure, the cumulative oil production is more than other scenarios. Moreover at the high injection pressures, the production rates will not change with the injection bottom hole pressure variations. Also the FEM analysis of the reservoir showed that at $CO_2$ injection pressure of 11000 Psi the plastic strain has been occurred in the some parts of the reservoir and the related stress path show a critical behavior.

• Advances in Energy Research
• /
• 제6권1호
• /
• pp.75-90
• /
• 2019

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are rising rapidly despite efforts to curb release of such gases. One long term potential solution to offset these destructive emissions is the capture and storage of carbon dioxide. Partially depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs are attractive targets for permanent carbon dioxide disposal due to proven storage capacity and seal integrity, existing infrastructure. Optimum well completion design in depleted reservoirs requires understanding of prominent geomechanics issues with regard to rock-fluid interaction effects. Geomechanics plays a crucial role in the selection, design and operation of a storage facility and can improve the engineering performance, maintain safety and minimize environmental impact. In this paper, an integrated geomechanics workflow to evaluate reservoir caprock integrity is presented. This method integrates a reservoir simulation that typically computes variation in the reservoir pressure and temperature with geomechanical simulation which calculates variation in stresses. Coupling between these simulation modules is performed iteratively which in each simulation cycle, time dependent reservoir pressure and temperature obtained from three dimensional compositional reservoir models in ECLIPSE were transferred into finite element reservoir geomechanical models in ABAQUS and new porosity and permeability are obtained using volumetric strains for the next analysis step. Finally, efficiency of this approach is demonstrated through a case study of oil production and subsequent carbon storage in an oil reservoir. The methodology and overall workflow presented in this paper are expected to assist engineers with geomechanical assessments for reservoir optimum production and gas injection design for both natural gas and carbon dioxide storage in depleted reservoirs.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• 제17권2호
• /
• pp.215-225
• /
• 2019

The mechanical behavior of rock is essential to estimate the capacity and long-term stability of $CO_2$ storage in deep saline aquifers. As the depth of reservoir increases, the pressure and temperature that applied on the rock increase. To answer the question of how the confining pressure and temperature influence the mechanical behavior of reservoir rock, triaxial compression experiments were carried out on brine-saturated sandstone at elevated temperature. The triaxial compressive strength of brine-saturated sandstone was observed to decrease with increasing testing temperature, and the temperature weakening effect in strength enhanced with the increase of confining pressure. Sandstone specimens showed single fracture failures under triaxial compression. Three typical regions around the main fracture were identified: fracture band, damaged zone and undamaged zone. A function was proposed to describe the evolution of acoustic emission count under loading. Finally, the mechanism of elevated temperature causing the reduction of strength of brine-saturated sandstone was discussed.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• 제10권4호
• /
• pp.423-436
• /
• 2016

Currently, there is a great interest in the coupling between multiphase fluid flow and geomechanical effects in hydrocarbon reservoirs and surrounding rocks. The ideal solution for this coupled problem is to introduce the geomechanical effects through the stress analysis solution and implement an algorithm, which assures that the equations governing the flow and stress analyses are obeyed in each time step. This paper deals with the implementation of a program (FORTRAN90 interface code), which was developed to couple conventional reservoir (ECLIPSE) and geomechanical (ABAQUS) simulators, using a partial coupling algorithm. The explicit coupled hydro-mechanical behavior of Iranian field during depletion and $CO_2$ injection is studied using the soils consolidation procedure available in ABAQUS. Time dependent reservoir pressure fields obtained from three dimensional compositional reservoir models were transferred into finite element reservoir geomechanical models in ABAQUS as multi-phase flow in deforming reservoirs cannot be performed within ABAQUS. The FEM analysis of the reservoir showed no sign of plastic strain under production and $CO_2$ injection scenarios in any part of the reservoir and the stress paths do not show a critical behavior.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• 제13권1호
• /
• pp.99-117
• /
• 2017

Rock physics modeling of sandstone reservoir from gas fields of Krishna-Godavari basin represents the link between reservoir parameters and seismic properties. The rock physics diagnostic models such as contact cement, constant cement and friable sand are chosen to characterize reservoir sands of two wells in this basin. Cementation is affected by the grain sorting and cement coating on the surface of the grain. The models show that the reservoir sands in two wells under examination have varying cementation from 2 to more than 6%. Distinct and separate velocity-porosity and elastic moduli-porosity trends are observed for reservoir zones of two wells. A methodology is adopted for generation of Rock Physics Template (RPT) based on fluid replacement modeling for Raghavapuram Shale and Gollapalli Sandstones of Early Cretaceous. The ratio of P-wave velocity to S-wave velocity (Vp/Vs) and P-impedance template, generated for this above formations is able to detect shale, brine sand and gas sand with varying water saturation and porosity from wells in the Endamuru and Suryaraopeta gas fields having same shallow marine depositional characters. This RPT predicted detection of water and gas sands are matched well with conventional neutron-density cross plot analysis.

• 터널과지하공간
• /
• 제23권6호
• /
• pp.538-546
• /
• 2013

본 보고에서는 석유산업에서 석유 및 가스의 생산성과 회수율을 극대화시키기 위한 방안의 하나인 수압파쇄기술에 대하여 다루고 있다. 수압파쇄기술은 인위적으로 저류층에 균열을 발생시켜 발생된 균열을 통해 저류층 유체의 유정 내 유입을 용이하게 하는 방법으로, 최근 셰일가스나 오일셰일과 같은 비전통석유가스 개발에서 널리 사용되고 있다. 수압파쇄는 크게 세 가지 단계의 과정을 통해 이루어지며, 효율적인 수압파쇄 설계를 위해 제안된 모델과 수압파쇄 후 결과를 분석, 평가하는 방법에 대해 소개하고 있다. 또한 수압파쇄과정에서 발생하는 다양한 문제점과 이를 해결하는 데 필요한 저류층 암반역학에 대해서도 간략하게 다루고 있다.

• 지질공학
• /
• 제28권2호
• /
• pp.175-182
• /
• 2018

본 논문에서는 이산화탄소 지중저장 시험이 진행 중인 포항 영일만 지역의 지질학적, 암석물리학적, 지질역학적 특성에 대한 분석 결과를 보고한다. 대상 저류층은 영일만 해상 퇴적층 750 m 심도에 다공질, 투수성의 사암/역암층으로 존재하며 상부에 두꺼운 이암층으로 덮고 있다. 해상에 굴착된 탐사시추공에서 측정된 응력 값은 이 지역이 주향이동 단층운동에 유리한 응력체계를 보인다. 측정된 응력 값에 기반하여 다양한 유형의 저류층 파쇄압력, 주변 단층의 전단활성 압력 등에 대한 정보에 대해 고찰하며 분석하였다.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• 제28권1호
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2022

In Korea, accidents related to the collapse of deteriorated aging reservoirs occur every year. The grouting method is generally applied to reinforce an aging reservoir. However, when using this method, different reinforcing effects appear depending on the ground conditions. Thus, new construction methods and materials capable of providing consistent reinforcing effects are required. In this study, the direct shear test (DST), model test, and simulation analysis were performed to evaluate the impact of surface stabilizers, generally used to reinforce roads, rivers, and slopes of roads, applied using surface curtain walls on aging reservoirs. The DST results indicate that when the surface stabilizer was mixed with in-situ soil, the increase in cohesion was the highest at a mixing ratio of 9%. No changes in the friction angle were evident; therefore, 9% was determined to be the optimal mixing ratio. In addition, the model test and simulation analysis showed that when 9% of the surface stabilizer was mixed and applied to the aging reservoir, the seepage quantity of water and the saturated area were reduced by approximately 42% and 73%, respectively. Moreover, the comprehensive analysis of results showed that the grouting method could be completely replaced by surface stabilizers applied through surface curtain walls because the technique could secure stability by decreasing the seepage in the aging reservoir.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• 제9권5호
• /
• pp.645-667
• /
• 2015

Single treatment and staged treatments in vertical wells are widely applied in sandstone and mudstone thin interbedded (SMTI) reservoir to stimulate the reservoir. The keys and difficulties of stimulating this category of formations are to avoid hydraulic fracture propagating through the interface between shale and sand as well as control the fracture height. In this paper, the cohesive zone method was utilized to build the 3-dimensional fracture dynamic propagation model in shale and sand interbedded formation based on the cohesive damage element. Staged treatments and single treatment were simulated by single fracture propagation model and double fractures propagation model respectively. Study on the changes of fracture vicinity stress field during propagation is to compare and analyze the parameters which influence the interfacial induced stresses between two different fracturing methods. As a result, we can prejudge how difficult it is that the fracture propagates along its height direction. The induced stress increases as the pumping rate increasing and it changes as a parabolic function of the fluid viscosity. The optimized pump rate is $4.8m^3/min$ and fluid viscosity is $0.1Pa{\cdot}s$ to avoid the over extending of hydraulic fracture in height direction. The simulation outcomes were applied in the field to optimize the treatment parameters and the staged treatments was suggested to get a better production than single treatment.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• 제17권2호
• /
• pp.119-131
• /
• 2019

Time dependent creep settlements are one of the most important causes of material deteriorations for the huge water structures such as concrete faced rockfill dams (CFRDs). For this reason, performing creep analyses of CFRDs is vital important for monitoring and evaluating of the future and safety of such dams. In this study, it is observed how changes viscoplastic behaviour of a CFR dam depending the time. Ilısu dam that is the longest concrete faced rockfill dam (1775 m) in the world is selected for the three dimensional (3D) analyses. 3D finite difference model of Ilısu dam is modelled using FLAC3D software based on the finite difference method. Two different special creep material models are considered in the numerical analyses. Wipp-creep viscoplastic material model and burger-creep viscoplastic material model were rarely used for the creep analyses of CFRDs in the last are taken into account for the concrete slab and rockfill materials-foundation, respectively. Moreover, interface elements are defined between the concrete slab-rockfill materials and rockfill materials-foundation to provide interaction condition for 3D model. Firstly, dam and foundation are collapsed under its self-weight and static behaviour of the dam is evaluated for the empty reservoir conditions. Then, reservoir water is modelled considering maximum water level of the dam and time-dependent creep analyses are performed for maximum reservoir condition. In this paper, maximum principal stresses, vertical-horizontal displacements and pore pressures that may occur on the dam body surface during 30 years (from 2017 to 2047) are evaluated in detail. According to numerical analyses, empty and maximum reservoir conditions of Ilısu dam are compared with each other in detail. 4 various nodal points are selected under the concrete slab to better seen viscoplastic behaviour changes of the dam and viscoplastic behaviour differences of these points during 30 years are graphically presented. It is clearly seen that horizontal-vertical displacements and principal stresses for maximum reservoir condition are more than the empty reservoir condition of the dam and significant pore pressures are observed during 30 years for maximum reservoir condition. In addition, horizontal-vertical displacements, principal stresses and pore pressures for 4 nodal points obviously increased until a certain time and changes decreased after this time.