CO2 Flow Patterns Under Multiphase Flow: Heterogeneous Field-Scale Conditions

Abstract

Summary A finite-difference, equation-of-state (EOS), compositional simulator has been used to study CO2 flooding. First, unstable first-contact-miscible (FCM) displacements were simulated with a fine mesh to investigate the transition from gravity override to viscous fingering. Next, a direct comparison was made for FCM and multiple-contact-miscible (MCM) displacements under the same conditions to investigate effects of phase behavior on the growth of viscous fingers. Then, the effects of gravity, physical dispersion, capillary pressure, phase behavior, and heterogeneity were combined and simulated for CO2 flooding on a field scale with stochastic permeability fields.