Estimation of Relative Permeability of Single Fracture by Using Multi-phase Lattice

Abstract

For the successful and efficient development of a fractured oil/gas reservoir, it is important to estimate multi-phase fluid flow behavior in the fracture. In many cases, the fluid flow in the fracture has been studied by the simplified model as parallel smooth plates. Therefore, the anisotropy of the fluid flow behavior inside the fracture has not been estimated accurately. Moreover, it is not well understood how the wettability of the fracture surfaces, the interfacial tension between water and oil, and the geometries of the fracture surfaces affect the multi-phase flow behavior even in the single fracture. In this study, in order to understand these phenomena, we investigated the multi-phase flow behavior in the single fracture model and try to determine the fracture relative permeability of oil and water by performing water flooding simulations using Multi-phase Lattice Boltzmann Method. By this study, the effects of the wettability and the interfacial tension on the multi-phase flow behavior and the relative permeability in the fracture have been clarified.