Transient Flow of Non-Newtonian Power-Law Fluids in Porous Media
Authors: Ikoku Chi U. , Ramey Henry J. 
Published: December 2007

The transient flow behavior of non-Newtonian fluids in petroleum reservoirs is studied. A new partial differential equation is derived. The diffusivity equation is a special case of the new equation. The new equation describes the flow of a slightly compressible, non-Newtonian, power-law fluid in a homogeneous porous medium. This equation should govern the flow of most non-Newtonian oil-displacement agents used in secondary and tertiary oil-recovery projects, such as polymer solutions, micellar projects, such as polymer solutions, micellar solutions, and surfactant solutions.

Analytical solutions of the new partial differential equation are obtained that introduce new methods of well-test analysis for non-Newtonian fluids. An example is presented for using the new techniques to analyze injection well-test data in a polymer injection project. project. Graphs of the dimensionless pressure function also are presented. These may be used to investigate the error when using Newtonian fluid-flow equations to model the flow of non-Newtonian fluids in porous media.

Introduction

Non-Newtonian fluids, especially polymer solutions, microemulsions, and macroemulsions, often are injected into the reservoir in various enhanced oil-recovery processes. In addition, foams sometimes are circulated during drilling. Thermal recovery of oil by steam and air injection may lead to the flow of natural emulsions and foams through porous media. Some enhanced oil-recovery projects involving the injection of non-Newtonian fluids have been successful, but most of these projects either failed or performed below expectation. These results suggest the need for a thorough study of the stability of non-Newtonian fluids at reservoir conditions, and also a new look at the flow of non-Newtonian fluids in porous media. porous media. Many studies of the rheology of non-Newtonian fluids in porous media exist in the chemical engineering, rheology, and petroleum engineering literature. In 1969, Savins presented an important survey on the flow of non-Newtonian fluids through porous media. In some cases, he interpreted porous media. In some cases, he interpreted published data further and compared results of published data further and compared results of different investigators. van Poollen and Jargon presented a numerical study of the flow of presented a numerical study of the flow of non-Newtonian fluids in homogeneous porous media using finite-difference techniques. They considered steady-state and unsteady-state flows and used the Newtonian fluid-flow equation. They considered non-Newtonian behavior by using a viscosity that varied with position. No general method was developed for analyzing flow data. Bondor et al. presented a numerical simulation of polymer presented a numerical simulation of polymer flooding. Much useful information on polymer flow was presented, but transient flow was not considered.At present, there is no standard method in the petroleum engineering literature for analyzing petroleum engineering literature for analyzing welltest data obtained during injection of non-Newtonian fluids into petroleum reservoirs. However, injection of several non-Newtonian oil-displacement agents is an important oilfield operation. Interpretation of well-test data for these operations should also be important. Obviously, procedures developed for Newtonian fluid flow are not appropriate.

SPEJ

P. 164