Nonlinear Effects in Flooding of an Inclined Layered Oil Reservoir

Abstract

In this paper the isothermal flow of two non-compressible immiscible fluids through a porous medium is simulated taking into account capillary and gravitational forces. It is supposed that oil has non-Newtonian properties. The deviation from Darcy’s law is modeled by introducing a function depending on the filtration rate into the momentum equation. The problem statement in the variables “velocity-saturation” is used. The influence of non-Newtonian properties of oil in heterogeneous sloping reservoirs is demonstrated on the numerical examples. This influence is manifested in the formation of stagnant and washed zones. It is shown that it is necessary to take into account the geometry of the reservoir for the placement of wells and that producing wells should be placed down the slope of the reservoir.