Research of Phase Behavior in Natural Gas Drive Process and Its Application in T_D Reservoir with HTHP
Authors: Jiang Tongwen , ZHOU Daiyu , LIAN Liming , WU Yiming , WU Zangyuan , FAN Kun , ZHOU Wei , BIAN Wanjiang , SHAO Guangqiang , FAN Jiawei , YU Hongwei , KUANG Xiyu , WU Lin , HUANG Lan , DENG Xian'an , WANG Kaiyu 
Published: December 2021

Different from other gas drive processes, phase behavior performs more significant roles in natural gas drive process. The main reason is that more severe mass transfer effect and similar phase solubility effect have been caused by multicomponent interaction. This paper provides a series of methods to study the phase behavior in natural gas drive process, aiming to reveal further mechanism and give technical supports to the on-site practice in T_D Reservoir with HTHP.

Four key parameters of natural gas drive have been determined. Firstly, laboratory compounding method has been improved to obtain real components of formation fluids and actual injected gas at formation condition (140°C, 45MPa). Secondly, 19 sets of slim tube test has been carried to determine MMP (minimum miscible pressure) and the injected gas components ensuring miscibility. Thirdly, swelling test and laser method have been used to separately obtain the viscosity reduction degree and solid deposition effects. Finally, multiple contact test has been carried to describe the miscibility behavior. All the above have been applied in T_D Reservoir.

Conclusions could be drawn from the results obtained by the methods above. Firstly, swelling capacity of crude oil could be enhanced by natural gas for the formation volume factor of crude oil in T_D Reservoir increased by 57% and the viscosity decreased by 83% after natural gas injection. Secondly, MMP of dry gas and crude oil in T_D Reservoir is 43.5MPa with a miscible displacement efficiency above 90% (&gt;30% compared with immiscible displacement efficiency), and the content of N2+C1 should be controlled over 88%. Thirdly, results of 5 levels contact experiments shows that miscibility behavior of natural gas and oil from T_D Reservoir performs an evaporative-condensate composite miscible process in which the condensate miscible process takes the lead. Finally, obvious solid point has not been observed in natural gas drive process of crude oil from T_D Reservoir at the formation temperature, and the effect of solid deposition on the fluid flow in formation could be ignored because of trace amount of solid solution (&lt;1mg/ml) and minute formation permeability damage (&lt;8%). The achievements above have been applied in T_D Reservoir as one of the important technical means supporting over 350,000 tons increased production by natural gas drive.

A systematic methods have been reorganized to research the phase behavior in natural gas drive process and half of these methods mentioned above get partially improvement. These physical simulation experiments have covered most mainly processes and the key parameters in reservoirs with HTHP and natural gas drive, including mass transfer, viscosity, expansion, volume coefficient, MMP, miscibility behavior and solid deposition. Every experiment gives a quantitative analysis which possesses satisfied practicability in field application.