Tidal Influences on Vertical Oil-Water Distributions in Hydrocarbon Reservoirs

Completed

Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Enhanced oil and gas production)

Basic and strategic applied research

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences)

Not Cross-cutting

Dr A Muggeridge
Department of Earth Sciences
Imperial College London

Standard

EPSRC

01 October 2006

30 September 2007

12 months

£54,440

Process engineering

London

Engineering science: flow -- Process Environment and Sustainability

Dr A Muggeridge, Department of Earth Sciences, Imperial College London

This project wil investigate experimentally whether the tides may change the distribution of fluids in the transition zone of hydrocarbon reservoirs from that expected fomr capillary-gravity equilibrium over geological time. Significant volumes of oil may be found in this region, however the prediction of the distribution of this oil and its recovery, using reservoir simulation and centrifuge measurements of capillary pressure, is known to be problematic. Tidal influences on sub-surface fluid pressures have been observed for over a hundred years. Although the amplitude and the frequency of this forcing on reservoir pressure is small it is nonethless possible that over long periods of time it may enhance gravitational sgregation between oil and water. Not only may this improve the prediction of oil reserves in new discoveries, it may alter predictions of aquifer discharge and contaminant redistribution with aquifers

15/03/07