The evolution of fluid flow processes, such as multiphase flow in fractured and multi-porosity hydrocarbon reservoirs, heat transport in geothermal reservoirs, or carbon storage in saline aquifers, is not arbitrary but a direct consequence of the interaction of physical and chemical processes with the respective distribution of material properties in the geologic medium. Numerical simulations are an excellent tool to study of such fluid flow processes to understand their emergent behaviour and response to man-made interactions. Realistic numerical simulations, however, are challenging because they must capture the complex geological structures, represent the wide range of material properties with their transient and nonlinear changes accurately, and resolve short-term events over long time-scales.
Our current research focuses primarily on flow and transport processes carbonate reservoirs, ranging from the pore- to the kilometre scale, and is generously supported by the CMG Reservoir Simulation Foundation (Foundation CMG). More than 60% (around 3 trillion barrels) of the world’s oil reserves are contained in carbonate reservoirs, which tend to have significantly lower oil recoveries than sandstone reservoirs. Although the multi-porosity and multi-scale nature of carbonates poses significant challenges on reservoir simulation technologies, improved flow prediction and recovery in carbonate reservoirs are likely to be among some of the most significant developments for the oil and gas industry in the next decade
We hence use a combination of state-of-the art numerical simulations, analytical solutions, statistical upscaling approaches, and laboratory experiments to answer the following questions:
- How do multi-scale geological structures impact multiphase flow processes and chemical reactions in carbonate reservoirs?
- How can we calibrate carbonate reservoir and simulation models rapidly using dynamic data to aid decision making making processes?
- What are the key limitations of current conceptual models and simulation approaches in carbonate reservoirs?
- How can we improve simulation approaches to include multi-scale geological structures and flow processes inherent to carbonate reservoirs?
More specifically, we are involved in research projects on:
- Accurate numerical solution of non-linear stochastic advection-diffusion-reaction equations
- Upscaling and reservoir simulation in fractured carbonate reservoirs
- Enhanced oil recovery in carbonate reservoirs due to controlled-salinity flooding and gas injection
- Well-testing and model calibration in carbonate reservoirs using dynamic data
- Structure-fluid interactions and production optimisation using carbonate reservoir outcrop analogues
- Pore-scale reactive transport processes in carbonate rocks
- In-situ flow process visualisation in carbonate rocks using micro-CT
- Heat transport and basin evolution in carbonate reservoirs
We are based at the Institute of Petroleum Engineering at Heriot-Watt University and an integral part of the Edinburgh Collaborative of Subsurface Science and Engineering and International Centre for Carbonate Reservoirs with close links to the Maxwell Institute of Mathematical Sciences. Funding for our research comes from the Foundation CMG, the Edinburgh Research Partnership in Engineering and Mathematics, EPSRC, ExxonMobil, PDO, Statoil, Total, OMV, ConocoPhillips, BG, Petrobras, the Scottish Centre for Carbon Storage, and the initiative “Bridging the Gaps between Engineering and Mathematics”.
