Physics and Modeling of Permeability Damage Induced by Particle Deposition

Abstract

Abstract The different mechanisms leading to permeability damages due to particle deposition are analyzed under various situations relevant for oil production. The analysis is based on the relative importance of the forces involved in the various deposition processes. In this way, different deposition regimes, characterized by the values of a few non-dimensional numbers, are defined. Among the major parameters, some are conventional and usually considered, such as particle and pore sizes, flow rate, particle concentration and suspending fluid viscosity. However, other parameters, which are often ignored, such as particle and pore shape and roughness, particle-particle and particle-pore wall interaction energies as well as pore surface physicochemical heterogeneity play an even more important role. In all cases, the regime determines deposition kinetics and the location where particles are deposited inside porous structure. As a consequence, determining both the deposition regime and the mechanism of permeability damage involved are prerequisites before any attempt to model and to predict permeability reduction. Due to the complexity of practical cases, experiments must be carried out to define the regime and the values of the major parameters used as input in a suitable formation damage model. Comparisons between model predictions and experimental results obtained under well-controlled conditions show the cases where presently the permeability damage modeling is reliable. P. 409