Title: 3D simulation of hydrocarbon-expulsion history: a method and its application

Authors: Gang Liu; Bingyin Tang; Chonglong Wu; Zhifeng Liu; Zhiting Zhang

Addresses: Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources (China University of Geosciences), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430074, China; School of Computer, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China. ' School of Computer, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China. ' School of Computer, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China. ' College of Information Engineering, East China Institute of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, China. ' School of Computer and School of Economy and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430074, China

Abstract: During the hydrocarbon expulsion simulation process, it is needed to consider the different mechanisms, modes and kinds of expulsion efficiency at different stages, as well as the changes of oil and gas phases, and the solubility of gas in oil and water. Aiming at the above issues, the combination of modelling methods with stages of normal-pressure hydrocarbon-expulsion and over-pressure episodic hydrocarbon-expulsion is used to calculate the volume of hydrocarbon-expulsion, and considering the gas solubility in oil and water and the changes of volume coefficient as well. Furthermore, by the way of reading coordinates to calculate the volume of each grid-cell in 3D geological model, final quantity of expelled hydrocarbon is calculated with pressure, temperature and residual volume of each cell. Finally, the 3D hydrocarbon-expulsion dynamic simulation module was developed and tested successfully by applying to the oil and gas pool-forming simulation in the Niuzhuang-Wangjiagang area, Dongying Depression, Shengli Oilfield, China. [Received: March 20, 2011; Accepted: November 30, 2011]

Keywords: dynamic simulation; oil and gas industry; pool forming simulation; 3D simulation; compacted hydrocarbon expulsion; episodic hydrocarbon expulsion; hydrocarbon expulsion history; gas solubility; dynamic modelling; China; pressure; temperature; residual volume.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2013.050780

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2013 Vol.6 No.1/2, pp.133 - 157

Published online: 29 Jan 2014 *

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