Dynamic Simulation of Nano-Gel Microspheres for Plugging Preferential Flow Channels and Enhancing Oil Recovery in Waterflooded Reservoirs
This study addresses the unclear mechanisms by which preferential flow channels (PFCs), formed during long-term waterflooding, affect nano-gel microsphere (NGM) flooding efficiency, utilizing CMG reservoir numerical simulation software. A dynamic evolution model of PFCs was established by coupling C...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Gels |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/7/536 |
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| author | Long Ren Cong Zhao Jian Sun Cheng Jing Haitao Bai Qingqing Li Xin Ma |
| author_facet | Long Ren Cong Zhao Jian Sun Cheng Jing Haitao Bai Qingqing Li Xin Ma |
| author_sort | Long Ren |
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| description | This study addresses the unclear mechanisms by which preferential flow channels (PFCs), formed during long-term waterflooding, affect nano-gel microsphere (NGM) flooding efficiency, utilizing CMG reservoir numerical simulation software. A dynamic evolution model of PFCs was established by coupling CROCKTAB (stress–porosity hysteresis) and CROCKTABW (water saturation-driven permeability evolution), and the deep flooding mechanism of NGMs (based on their gel properties such as swelling, elastic deformation, and adsorption, and characterized by a “plugging-migration-replugging” process) was integrated. The results demonstrate that neglecting PFCs overestimates recovery by 8.7%, while NGMs reduce permeability by 33% (from 12 to 8 mD) in high-conductivity zones via “bridge-plug-filter cake” structures, diverting flow to low-permeability layers (+33% permeability, from 4.5 to 6 mD). Field application in a Chang 6 tight reservoir (permeability variation coefficient 0.82) confirms a >10-year effective period with 0.84% incremental recovery (from 7.31% to 8.15%) and favorable economics (ROI ≈ 10:1), providing a theoretical and engineering framework for gel-based conformance control in analogous reservoirs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0588eae5fa0e473395db205c3ba6ed54 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2310-2861 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gels |
| spelling | doaj-art-0588eae5fa0e473395db205c3ba6ed542025-08-20T03:58:30ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612025-07-0111753610.3390/gels11070536Dynamic Simulation of Nano-Gel Microspheres for Plugging Preferential Flow Channels and Enhancing Oil Recovery in Waterflooded ReservoirsLong Ren0Cong Zhao1Jian Sun2Cheng Jing3Haitao Bai4Qingqing Li5Xin Ma6School of Petroleum Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, ChinaThis study addresses the unclear mechanisms by which preferential flow channels (PFCs), formed during long-term waterflooding, affect nano-gel microsphere (NGM) flooding efficiency, utilizing CMG reservoir numerical simulation software. A dynamic evolution model of PFCs was established by coupling CROCKTAB (stress–porosity hysteresis) and CROCKTABW (water saturation-driven permeability evolution), and the deep flooding mechanism of NGMs (based on their gel properties such as swelling, elastic deformation, and adsorption, and characterized by a “plugging-migration-replugging” process) was integrated. The results demonstrate that neglecting PFCs overestimates recovery by 8.7%, while NGMs reduce permeability by 33% (from 12 to 8 mD) in high-conductivity zones via “bridge-plug-filter cake” structures, diverting flow to low-permeability layers (+33% permeability, from 4.5 to 6 mD). Field application in a Chang 6 tight reservoir (permeability variation coefficient 0.82) confirms a >10-year effective period with 0.84% incremental recovery (from 7.31% to 8.15%) and favorable economics (ROI ≈ 10:1), providing a theoretical and engineering framework for gel-based conformance control in analogous reservoirs.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/7/536nano-gel microspheres (NGMs)preferential flow channels (PFCs)plugging mechanismnumerical simulationenhanced oil recovery (EOR) |
| spellingShingle | Long Ren Cong Zhao Jian Sun Cheng Jing Haitao Bai Qingqing Li Xin Ma Dynamic Simulation of Nano-Gel Microspheres for Plugging Preferential Flow Channels and Enhancing Oil Recovery in Waterflooded Reservoirs Gels nano-gel microspheres (NGMs) preferential flow channels (PFCs) plugging mechanism numerical simulation enhanced oil recovery (EOR) |
| title | Dynamic Simulation of Nano-Gel Microspheres for Plugging Preferential Flow Channels and Enhancing Oil Recovery in Waterflooded Reservoirs |
| title_full | Dynamic Simulation of Nano-Gel Microspheres for Plugging Preferential Flow Channels and Enhancing Oil Recovery in Waterflooded Reservoirs |
| title_fullStr | Dynamic Simulation of Nano-Gel Microspheres for Plugging Preferential Flow Channels and Enhancing Oil Recovery in Waterflooded Reservoirs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dynamic Simulation of Nano-Gel Microspheres for Plugging Preferential Flow Channels and Enhancing Oil Recovery in Waterflooded Reservoirs |
| title_short | Dynamic Simulation of Nano-Gel Microspheres for Plugging Preferential Flow Channels and Enhancing Oil Recovery in Waterflooded Reservoirs |
| title_sort | dynamic simulation of nano gel microspheres for plugging preferential flow channels and enhancing oil recovery in waterflooded reservoirs |
| topic | nano-gel microspheres (NGMs) preferential flow channels (PFCs) plugging mechanism numerical simulation enhanced oil recovery (EOR) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/7/536 |
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