Fundamentals of Gas Injection Processes: CO2 Injection/Sequestration, HC Injection and Miscibility (MMP/MME)

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Disciplines: Production and Operations | Projects, Facilities, and Construction | Reservoir

Course Description

Concept of gas injection and what miscibility means and not.

Gas flooding involves many aspects of engineering, from surface facilities to production engineering to reservoir engineering. There are also newer theories and their applications, especially in the context of miscibility development and assessment as summarized by Dindoruk et al. [3]. Some of the renewed momentum in gas flooding also comes from the potential for subsurface CO2 sequestration and other gases (H2,CH4, etc.) storage to lower the overall footprint of greenhouse gases. More than ever, there is a wider envelope of applications for petroleum engineers that includes coupled CO2 sequestration and geothermal energy production.

This class will focus on the key topics of gas injection processes that covers both EOR and as well as CO2 sequestration aspects, fundamentals, practical measurements and workflows.  In the class, we will emphasize use cases and various examples including experimental processes.  As the complexity of in-situ fluids and the reservoir conditions become more challenging, progress in the computational area is also being made. Therefore, complex fluids and their implications in the context of gas injection processes will be inherently part of this class. One of the new topics that we will also introduce is the use of data-centric/machine learning methods to estimate MMP as one of the key parameters of screening/design.

 

1. Introduction and basic concepts  

• Welcome, Course Overview 
• EOR methods: Why Gas Injection
• Overview of EOR Techniques and the Historical Progress of Gas injection
• Background (brief): displacement in porous media (microscopic to macroscopic: Scale-up)
• Primary vs Non-Primary production
• Impact of heterogeneity
• Capillary number
• Relative permeability
• Capillary pressure
• Mobility ratio
• Flood patterns
• Diffusion/dispersion, etc.
• Displacement/multiphase flow in porous media
• Generalization of Buckley-Leverett Theory
• Numerical solution of underlying material balance equations: Numerical dispersion and Numerical Peclet number. 
• Binary and ternary systems (and multicomponent systems)
• Gas injection: EOR, CO2 Sequestration, Gas Storage
• HC gases
• CO2
• N2
• H2
• Solvents and solvents with water
• Gas Pipelines/Transportation: source & sinks for CO2, and H2
• Phase behavior of injectants and in-situ fluids (HC’s, CO2, Solvents, Aqueous Fluids)

2. Miscibility, Solubility - interaction of phase behavior and flow (time permitting)

• What is solubility and miscibility
• MMP, MME, FCM

3. Quantification of MMP

• Essential data/experiments
• Correlations 
• Scale-up for Simulation

4. Pseudo-miscible systems: Koval’s method & variants

5. Mobility Control/Coverage

• GOGD/Fractured systems
• WAG, viscosification of gases, foams

6. CO2 and Aqueous systems 

• CO2 solubility in aqueous systems
• CO2 dry-out
• CO2 - cooling
• Top of the line corrosion

7.  Implications of Compositional Grading
8.  New Developments: Pore Proximity, experimental shortcuts  etc.

 

Learning Level

Introductory to Intermediate

Course Length

2-days

Why Attend

General Objectives:

• To provide the Petroleum Engineers general understanding of Gas injection processes, for any gas system: HC Gas, CO2, H2 etc.
• To be able to ask the right question(s)

After the course we expect the participants:

• To have a general understanding of the concept of miscibility and solubility: MMP, MME, FCM etc.
• To be able to understand the wider implications of gas injection processes regardless of the objective: From oil recovery to sequestration

They can use the outcome/learnings right away for their day to day work. In addition, the justification for the data acquisition and/or filling the gaps in the data and being able to assess the current and future needs will be quick wins for the participants. In addition, we will share info on the new progress made in various fronts in this line of business

Who Attends

• Reservoir Engineers
• Production and Facilities Engineers
• Flow assurance engineers and technical professionals who deal with solvent/gas displacement in multi-disciplinary settings 
• Professionals who deal with Energy Transition and CO2 sequestration 

Special Requirements

If we want to run this with various software packages etc. it will be somewhat difficult due to licensing etc.  It would be nice if we can, however, it will take much longer as we need to teach the software to the audience (so that they will all be @ the same level). However, I will try to share some simple web tools with the audience for various applications.

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations must be received no later than 14 days prior to the course start date. Cancellations made after the 14-day window will not be refunded. Refunds will not be given due to no show situations.

Training sessions attached to SPE conferences and workshops follow the cancellation policies stated on the event information page. Please check that page for specific cancellation information.

SPE reserves the right to cancel or re-schedule courses at will. Notification of changes will be made as quickly as possible; please keep this in mind when arranging travel, as SPE is not responsible for any fees charged for cancelling or changing travel arrangements.

We reserve the right to substitute course instructors as necessary.

Instructor

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