Patent ID: 7006959

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for simulating one or more characteristics of a multi-component, hydrocarbon-bearing formation wherein a displacement fluid comprising at least one component is injected into the formation through at least one well to displace hydrocarbons in the formation, comprising the steps of: (a) equating the formation in at least one dimension to a multiplicity of gridcells; (b) dividing at least some of the gridcells into two regions, a first region representing a portion of each gridcell swept by the displacement fluid and a second region representing a portion of each gridcell essentially unswept by the injected fluid, the distribution of components in each region being essentially uniform; (c) constructing a model representative of fluid properties within each region, fluid flow between gridcells using principles of percolation theory to provide fine-grid adverse mobility displacement behavior through functional dependencies, and principles of component mass transfer rate between regions; and (d) using the model to simulate one or more characteristics of the formation.