Two Phase Relative Permeability Curve Upscaling of Naturally Fractured Reservoirs Under Poro-Elastic Environment

Abstract

AbstractThe target of upscaling is to replace the very fine and detailed models with coarse models, including much less data. These coarse models are more feasible for running simulations than the fine models. However, upscaling does not aim to speed up reservoir simulations at the cost of simulation results. This study presents an innovative approach to upscale the two-phase core relative permeability to reservoir grid block scale under poro-elastic framework for fractured basement reservoirs using glass bead laboratory measurements and finite element technique. This approach uses a hybrid methodology to calculate grid block equivalent permeability tensors by combining the discrete fracture network and single permeability approaches. The first step in the workflow of upscaling the core relative permeability curve is dividing the reservoir into a number of grid blocks (20 m × 20 m × 30 m) and then the individual grid block is divided into laboratory glass bead model scale of (20 cm × 10 m × 2 cm) to enhance the upscaling process. Next, the new generated kr curves ( Fahad et al. 2013) correlation bas ed on glass bead scale is is used to upscale the laboratory relative permeability curve to each fine-scale grid. The Levenberg-Marquardt inversion algorithm is used during the simulation process of the relative permeability upscaling to match produced oil recovery before and after upscaling. The results illustrate that the upscaling kr curves process is strongly affected applied stresses, fracture orientation and connectivity.