Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Coupled fluid flow and geomechanics: a case study in Faja del Orinoco

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Venezuela’s largest heavy-oil deposits are found primarily in the Faja del Orinoco Belt. These deposits exhibit a low production rate under the cold flow method. The objective of this study is to model the impact of steam injection on the fluid dynamics, geomechanics, and seismic attributes for the Faja del Orinoco steam-assisted gravity drainage pilot project. In order to make core testing more representative under this operation conditions, a new heating system was developed to execute triaxial tests with heavy oil samples under elevated temperature and the results were used as input in a new thermo-poro-elastic–plastic coupled fluid flow and geomechanics simulator. Our simulation show that, after 8 years of steam injection, the temperature increased, reaching 280 °C around the injection well. In addition, oil saturation decreased from 0.803 to 0.13, pore pressures dropped to approximately 8.68 MPa, and the volumetric strain changes reached 0.00078 close to injector well. The results also indicated that the effects of compressibility on cumulate oil production with thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling reached 35% more than without coupling in 8 years of steam stimulation. The cumulative steam-oil rate was approximately 2.70 for 100 tons of steam per day, with 0.203 × 106 m3 (1.28 mmstb) cumulative oil volume and 0.548 × 106 m3.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agheshlui H (2019) Stress influence on the permeability of a sample heterogeneous rock. Geomech Geophys Geo-Energy Geo-Resour 5:159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-019-00111-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alboudwarej H, Felix J, Taylor S (2006) Highlighting heavy oil. Oilfield Rev 18:34–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Armero F, Simo JC (1992) A new unconditionally stable fractional step method for non-linear coupled thermomechanical problems. Int J Numer Methods Eng 35:737–766

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials). (2006) Standard test method for permeability of granular soils. ASTM International, ASTM D2434-68

  • ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) (2011) Standard test method for consolidated undrained triaxial compression test for cohesive soils. ASTM International, D4767-11

  • Berron C, Michou L, De Cacqueray B, Duret F, Cotton J, Forgues E (2015) Permanent, continuous & unmanned 4D seismic monitoring: peace river case study. SEG Tech Program Expanded Abstr 2015:5419–5423

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler RM (1994) Steam-assisted gravity drainage: concept, development, performance and future. J Can Pet Technol 33(2):44–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chalaturnyk R (1996) Geomechanics of the steam assisted gravity drainage process in heavy oil reservoirs. Ph.D. Thesis, Dept. Civil Eng, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, p 576

  • Chalaturnyk RJ, Li P (2004) When is it important to consider geomechanics in SAGD operations? J Can Pet Technol 43(4):53–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collins PM, Carlson MR, Walters DA, Settari A (2002) Geomechanical and thermal reservoir simulation demonstrates SAGD enhancement due to shear dilation. SPE/ISRM 78237, SPE/ISRM Rock Mech. Conf., Irving Texas

  • Cotton J, Chauris H, Forgues E, Hardouin P (2018) Time-lapse velocity analysis—Application to onshore continuous reservoir monitoring. Geophysics 83(3):B105–B117. https://doi.org/10.1190/geo2017-0014.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cupcic F (2003) Extra heavy oil and bitumen impact of technologies on the recovery factor. ASPO Annual Meeting, vol 1, Rueil

  • Das S (2005) Wellbore hydraulics in a SAGD well pair. SPE/PS-CIM/CHOA 97922, PS2005-417, SPE/PS-CIM/CHOA Int. Thml Opr. and Heavy Oil Sym., Calgary, Canada

  • Dean RH, Gai S, Stone CM, Minkoff SE (2006) A comparison of techniques for coupling porous flow and geomechanics. SPE J 11(1):132–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drucker D, Prager W (1952) Soil mechanics and plastic analysis or limit design. Q Appl Math 10:157–165

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Dusseault MB (1993) Stress changes in thermal operations. In: Paper SPE # 25809, international thermal operations symposium, bakersfield, CA, USA, 8–10

  • Dusseault MB (2001) Comparing Venezuelan and Canadian heavy oil and tar sands. In: Paper #2001-061, petroleum Society’s Canadian international petroleum conference, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, pp 12–14

  • Dusseault MB (2006) Sequencing technologies to maximize recovery. In: Paper 2006-135, 7th Canadian international petroleum conference (57th Annual Technical Meeting), Calgary, AB, Canada, pp 13–15

  • Dusseault M, Morgenstern N (1978) Shear strength of Atabasca oil sand. Can Geotech J 15:216–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dusseault MB, Shafiei A (2011) Tar sands: Ullmann’s encyclopedia of chemical engineering. Wiley, Hoboken, p 52

    Google Scholar 

  • Dusseault MB, Yin S, Rothenburg L, Han H (2007) Seismic monitoring and geomechanics simulation. Lead Edge 26:610–620

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gai X, Dean RH, Wheeler MF, Liu R (2003) Coupled geomechanical and reservoir modeling on parallel computers. In: SPE reservoir simulation symposium, Houston, Texas, SPE 79700, pp 3–5

  • Garipov TT, Voskov DV, Tchelepi HA (2015) Rigorous coupling of geomechanics and thermal-compositional flow for SAGD and ES-SAGD operations. In: Society of petroleum engineers—SPE Canada heavy oil technical conference 2015, CHOC 2015, pp 1282–1297

  • Gassmann F (1951) Elastic waves through a packing of spheres. Geophysics 16:673–685

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gates ID, Chakrabarty N (2005) Optimization of steam-assisted gravity drainage in McMurray reservoir. In: Paper No. 2005-193, 6th CIPC (56th Annual Technical Meeting), Calgary, Canada

  • Jean L, Mainguy M, Masson R, Vidal-Gilbert S (2007) Accelerating the convergence of coupled geomechanical-reservoir simulations. Int J Numer Anal Meth Geomech 31:1163–1181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jin ZH, Johnson SE (2017) Effects of elastic anisotropy on primary petroleum migration through buoyancy-driven crack propagation. Geomech Geophys Geo-energy Geo-resour 3:365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-017-0062-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim J, Tchelepi HA (2009) Stability, accuracy and efficiency of sequential methods for coupled flow and geomechanics. In: Paper SPE119084, SPE Journal

  • Larsson K (2001) Determination of the coefficient of thermal expansion for two Aspo rocks, diorite and granite. Master’s thesis, Luldi University of Technology, Department of Civil and Mining Engineering, Division of Rock Mechanics. 35 p. + 3 appendices

  • Li P, Chalaturnyk RJ (2003) Discussion of SAGD and geomechanics. J Can Pet Technol 42(9):34–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Li P, Chalaturnyk RJ (2006) Permeability variations associated with shearing and isotropic unloading during SAGD process. J Can Pet Technol 45(1):54–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Li P, Chalaturnyk RJ, Tan TB (2006) Coupled reservoir geomechanical simulations for the SAGD process. JCPT 45 (1)

  • Llaguno PE, Moreno F, Gracia R, Méndez Escobar E (2002) A reservoir screening methodology for SAGD applications. In: Paper 2002-124, CIPC, Calgary Canada

  • Meyer RF, Attanasi ED, Freeman PA (2007) Heavy oil and natural bitumen resources in geological basins of the world. US Geological Survey, Open-File Report 2007-1084. Available http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1084/S

  • Oldakowski K (1994) Stress-induced permeability changes of Athabasca oil sands. M.Sc. thesis, Dept. Civil Eng., University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, p 227

  • Perdomo P, Rabe C, Fontoura S (2010) Laboratory test and logging campaign for geomechanical application in SAGD process for heavy oil reservoirs in Venezuela. In Zhao J, et al (eds) Rock mechanics in civil and environmental engineering, proceedings of EUROCK 2010 – The ISRM regional symposium, Lausanne, 15–18 June 2010. CRC Press/Balkema, Leiden

  • Rabe C, Sayão ASF, Nunes ALLS (2003) Effects of temperature on compressibility and consolidation of soils. In: 12th Pan American conference on soil mechanics and geothecnical engineering, Boston, US (In Spanish)

  • Rabe C, Perdomo P, Cherrez J (2013) Dynamic and static rock mechanics tests of heavy oil sandstones. In: ISRM-EUROCK 2013 Conference. Paper ISRM-Eurock 2013-049, October 21–23

  • Ranjith PG, Viete DR (2011) Applicability of the ‘cubic law’ for non-darcian fracture flow. J Pet Sci Eng 78(2):321–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2011.07.015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Samier PE, Gennaro S (2007) A practical iterative scheme for coupling geomechanics with reservoir simulation. SPE paper 107077, SPE Journal

  • Settari A, Mourits F (1998) A coupled reservoir and geomechanical simulation system. SPE J 3:219–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Settari A, Walters DA (2001) Advances in coupled geomechanical and reservoir modeling with applications to reservoir compaction. SPE Paper 6(3), SPE Journal, 334–342

  • Shafiei A, Dusseault MB (2013) Geomechanics of thermal viscous oil production in sandstones. J Pet Sci Eng 103:121–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wan RG, Wang J (2004) Modelling of sand production and wormhole propagation in an oil saturated sand pack using stabilized finite element methods. J Can Pet Technol 43:45–52

    Google Scholar 

  • Wan RG, Chan DH, Kosar KM (1991) Constitutive model for the effective stress–strain behavior of oil sands. J Can Pet Technol 30:89–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin S, Dusseault MB, Rothenburg L (2008) Thermal reservoir modelling in petroleum geomechanics. Int J Numer Anal Methods Geomech 84:773–798

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Yin S, Dusseault MB, Rothenburg L (2010) Fully coupled numerical modeling of ground surface uplift in steam injection. J Can Pet Technol 49(1):16–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan M, McFarlane P (2009) Evaluation of steam circulation strategies for SAGD start-up. In: SPE 2009-14, Canadian international petroleum conference

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like first to thank the paper reviewers for their patience and positive contribution. We appreciate PDVSA for the data set and authorization to publish the study, ANP and CAPES for financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade Federal Fluminense, Av. Gen. Milton Tavares de Souza s/nº - Gragoatá – Campus da Praia Vermelha, Niterói, RJ, Brazil

    Claudio Rabe, Cleverson Guizan Silva & Luiz Antonio Pierantoni Gamboa

  2. Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225 Gávea, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Paul Richard Ramirez Perdomo

  3. BakerHughes, 17021 Aldine Westfield Road, Houston, TX, 77073, USA

    Pierre-Francois Roux

Authors
  1. Claudio Rabe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paul Richard Ramirez Perdomo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Pierre-Francois Roux
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Cleverson Guizan Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Luiz Antonio Pierantoni Gamboa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Claudio Rabe.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rabe, C., Perdomo, P.R.R., Roux, PF. et al. Coupled fluid flow and geomechanics: a case study in Faja del Orinoco. Geomech. Geophys. Geo-energ. Geo-resour. 6, 14 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-019-00136-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-019-00136-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation