• 3D Visualization of Complex Flow and Composition Path in CO2 Injection Schemes from Density Effects

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3D Visualization of Complex Flow and Composition Path in CO2 Injection Schemes from Density Effects

PI: Dr. Hadi Nasrabadi, Texas A&M University at Qatar

CO₂ injection has been used to improve oil recovery for the past three decades. In recent years, this method has become more attractive because of the dual effect; injection in the subsurface allows: 1) reduction of CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere to reduce global warming, and 2) improved oil recovery.

There are numerous published data that reveal increases in liquid hydrocarbon density from CO₂ solubility. Despite the density increase, the literature has neglected density effects in the past in the modeling and evaluation of CO₂ injection schemes.

In this work, we have included these density effects in modeling CO₂ injection (figure 1).  Our analysis shows that the oil density change from CO₂ dissolution can have a drastic effect on recovery performance.  In 2D and 3D, when injected CO₂ is lighter than the gas phase, due to increase in oil density from solubility, there may not exist a gravity stable displacement.  Nearly all CO₂ injection schemes are 2D or 3D.

Reservoir volume contacted by CO₂ at 70% PVI for (left) increasing density with CO₂ dissolution and (right) decreasing density with CO₂ dissolution: layered 3D media.