Towards simulating oil recovery

Abstract

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques are becoming increasingly important as reserves of oil become depleted and traditional production rates decline. Therefore, many petroleum reservoirs have extended their life for being more productive. In this work we are talking about water and gas (WAG) as a cyclic procedure that take part of EOR, carbon dioxide is used mainly for its good solubility in oil and also for the ability to reduce oil viscosity, water is used basically for increasing well pressure causing a pushing towards the oil well. WAG is known to be more efficient than injecting either carbon dioxide or water alone. In this project is studied the temperature in different parts of the recovery, it is used the method of lines for solving differential equations and programmed with MATLAB. Density, velocity, viscosity and temperature among others, are properties which are constantly changed during the process. Then, it is important to use a good range of correlations and laws and evaluate how good and solid the results are. Mainly, this project evaluates the heat transfer through a pipe, the influence of properties such as density ans heat capacity and the study of a compressibility factor correlation.