An efficient LBM-DEM simulation method for suspensions of deformable preformed particle gels

Significance 

Water flooding in most oil fields produce approximately about 30% of the original-oil-in-place for the specific oil reservoir. This is mainly due to the strong reservoir heterogeneity and severe fluid channeling. Recent studies have helped unearth that deformable preformed particle gel can be used as an effective solution to severe fluid channeling and low sweep efficiency in oil development, due to the capacity of in-depth plugging and flowing diversion. Unfortunately, the transport, plugging and deformation of preformed particle gel are an intricate issue that encompasses both general characteristics of particle suspension and special deformation process. Additionally, the flow of deformable preformed particle gel in porous media cannot be simulated by the classical seepage flow theory based on continuum assumptions. Therefore, there is need to develop an efficient technique for suspensions of deformable preformed particle gel.

China University of Petroleum developed an efficient method for deformable preformed particle gel suspension which would combine the discrete idea of immersed boundary for particle deformation, lattice Boltzmann method for fluid flow, discrete element method for particle contact and immersed moving boundary method for the solid-fluid interaction. They aimed at extending the application of the pre-existing DEM-LBM-IMB algorithm to deformable particle-fluid system. Their work is now published in the research journal, Chemical Engineering Science.

The research team commenced their experiments by improving the treatment method of deformation. Next, the team used the method developed to study the effect of the particle throat diameter ratio and elastic modulus on the critical pressure gradient, which was the smallest pressure gradient for a given preformed particle gel to pass through a throat of the porous media. The researchers then related the linearly the critical pressure gradient to the elastic modulus of preformed particle gel. Eventually, a multivariate mathematical model was developed so as to characterize the quantitative relationships among the critical pressure gradient, particle-throat diameter ratio and elastic modulus.

The authors observed a good exponential relationship existed between the critical pressure gradient of the preformed particle gel and the particle-throat diameter ratio. Moreover, they noted that the results from comparisons between the simulation and prediction, proved the reliability of the mathematical model.

Kang Zhou et al study presented significant improvement of an efficient LBM-DEM simulation method for the flow of the suspensions of deformable preformed particle gel in porous media. It has been seen that the presented method combines the discrete idea of immersed boundary for particle deformation, lattice Boltzmann method for fluid flow, discrete element method for particle contact and immersed moving boundary for solid-fluid interaction. The effectiveness of the improved technique has also been validated in that the consistency between numerical simulations and microscopic visualization experiments has been termed excellent. Therefore, this model can be utilized as the most important parameter for macroscopic simulations of preformed particle gel flooding in large oilfield-scale projects.

DEM-LBM-IMB –  discrete element method, lattice Boltzmann method and immersed moving boundary

 efficient LBM-DEM simulation method for suspensions of deformable preformed particle gels. Advances in Engineering

About the author

Kang Zhou received his B.S. in Mathematics and Computing Science from China University of Petroleum in 2010. Then, he received his PhD in Oil and Gas Development Engineering from China University of Petroleum in 2017. Now, he is working on fluid dynamics as a post-doctoral research associate in China University of Petroleum. His research interests cover oil and gas seepage theory and application, seepage mechanics in development of natural gas hydrate, multiphase flow in porous media, reservoir production optimization and pore-scale simulation of deformable particle suspension.

About the author

Jian Hou received his master degree in Oil and Gas Development Engineering from China University of Petroleum in 1996. Then, he received his doctor degree in Oil and Gas Development Engineering from China University of Petroleum in 2002. He worked as an engineer in Shengli Oilfield from 1996 to 2002. After that he has been working in China University of Petroleum and became a professor in 2008. His research interests are mainly focused on seepage mechanics, microscopic simulation and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods such as chemical flooding and thermal recovery technique.

His research has received financial supports from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Important National Science and Technology Specific Projects of China and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities. Now, he has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal papers.

Reference

Kang Zhou, Jian Hou, Qicheng Sun, Lanlei Guo, Shaoxian Bing, Qingjun Du, Chuanjin Yao. An efficient LBM-DEM simulation method for suspensions of deformable preformed particle gels. Chemical Engineering Science 167 (2017) 288–296

 

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