Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
This paper is to be presented at the Petroleum Society’s 8th Canadian International Petroleum Conference (58th Annual Technical
Meeting), Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 12 – 14, 2007. Discussion of this paper is invited and may be presented at the meeting if
filed in writing with the technical program chairman prior to the conclusion of the meeting. This paper and any discussion filed will
be considered for publication in Petroleum Society journals. Publication rights are reserved. This is a pre-print and subject to
correction.
EXTENDED ABSTRACT
∫ ∫
processes currently under investigation would require reliable k ⎢ c dx ⎥ = Δ x n −1 k c n dx
tools to predict the filed-scale performance of new technologies, ⎢ ⎥
making the need for proper upscaling methods more urgent. ⎣0 ⎦ 0
…………………… (5)
2
Δx −E blocks will result in slower progress of combustion front, i.e.
k0
k x cx =
Δx ∫ e R Tt ( x ) ct ( x ) dx the location of maximum temperature was predicted to be closer
to the air injection position when larger grid blocks were used.
0 ………………… (6) Through this analysis, model parameters with the highest
Eq. (6) establishes the dependency of k on the length scale of sensitivity to the grid block size were identified.
integration and on concentration and temperature. Because of Using the model variables thus identified as tuning
the transient nature of the solution, calculation of upscaled parameters, direct matching of coarse and fine grid solutions
reaction constant should be performed at consecutive time steps would provide the upscaled reaction constants for this case. The
as Eq. (6) only provides spatial averaging. results of this procedure will be discussed, demonstrating the
The values of k from Eq. (6) and numerical solution of effects of upscaled parameters on the numerical solution.
Applications of upscaled kinetics to filed-scale simulation of in
tubular reactor case are presented in Figure 3 as a function of
situ combustion will also be discussed.
time and length scale. Comparing the k profiles with those of
concentration and temperature, it could be concluded that the
upscaled reaction constant is initially dependant on
Conclusion
concentration and temperature variations, as well as the length 1. Scale dependency of kinetic parameters has a considerable
scale. It is interesting to note that the intrinsic reaction constant impact on the accuracy of simulation results for applications
k is only a function of temperature. As the reaction proceeds such as in situ combustion.
and concentration profiles become flat compared to those of 2. An upscaling methodology is developed which will enable
temperature, the dependence of k on concentration becomes the establishment of a functional relationship between the
upscaled reaction constants and grid block size.
negligible. The relation between k and length scale depends 3. Simulation of in situ combustion with different number of
highly on the process conditions. Initially, k is decreasing by grid blocks enabled the identification of parameters with the
increasing ∆x. This trend continues as long as large gradients of highest sensitivity to the grid block size. Upscaled reaction
c and T exist, making k a complex function of all system constants were determined through direct matching of
coarse and fine grid solutions.
parameters. As the system starts to reach the steady-state and
profiles of concentration, and to a lesser degree temperature,
become flat compared to earlier stages, k starts to increase by
NOMENCLATURE
increasing ∆x. However, as explained earlier, k has become c = concentration [kgm-3]
mainly dependant on temperature at this stage of the process cp = heat capacity [Jkg-1K-1]
and the observed increase is due to the fact that T is increasing D = diffusivity [m2s-1]
E = activation energy [Jmole-1]
in the later half of the reactor.
k = reaction constant [s-1 for n = 1]
The results of this case study demonstrate the complex
k0 = constant in Eq. (3) [s-1]
relationship between the upscaled reaction constant, system
n = reaction order
parameters (concentration and temporaries) and the length
R = gas constant [Jmole-1K-1]
scale. More studies are currently underway to correlate the
t = time [s]
dependency of k on time and length scale observed here with T = temperature [K]
those relevant to field-scale simulation of reactive recovery u = velocity [ms-1]
processes. x = distance [m]
∆H = enthalpy of reaction [Jkg-1]
λ = thermal conductivity [Wm-1K-1]
Simulation of in situ combustion ρ = density [kgm-3]
The main purpose of the analysis presented in the previous
section is to identify the main parameters affecting the upscaled REFERENCES
reaction constant and to quantify the said relationship between 1. CHU, C., The Curse of Grid Size; AOSTRA Workshop
the relevant variables. While the development of upscaling on Computer Modeling (1981).
methodology is still ongoing, a preliminary attempt to apply the 2. COATS, K.H., Some Observations on Filed-Scale
technique to thermal recovery of bitumen by in situ combustion Simulation of the In Situ Combustion Process; SPE
was made. We simulated the combustion of an oil phase 12247 (1983).
consisting of three components (heavy oil, medium oil and light 3. HERBAS, J., MORENO, R., ROMERO, M.F.,
oil) in a combustion tube 1.7526 m long. The system parameters COOMBE, D. and SERNA, A., Gel Performance
and operating conditions were adopted from experimental Simulations and Laboratory/Field Studies to Design
results. Simulations were performed using 10, 40 and 200 grid Water Conformance Treatments in Eastern Venezuelan
blocks. HPHT Reservoirs; SPE 89398 (2004).
Comparing the simulation results for different number of 4. HONG, H. and POOLADI-DARVISH, M., Simulation
grid blocks demonstrated the high sensitivity of cumulative of Depressurization for Gas Production from Gas
medium oil and heavy oil production to the grid block size Hydrate Reservoirs; JCPT, 44(11), pp. 39-46 (2005).
while the cumulative production of light oil was not affected to 5. ITO, Y. and CHOW, A.K.Y., A Filed-Scale In Situ
the same degree. In addition, cumulative production of oxygen Combustion Simulator with Channeling Considerations;
in gas phase was highly dependant on the grid block size but SPE 13220 (1988).
this sensitivity was not observed for cumulative production of 6. KIM, H.C., BISHNOI, P.R., HEIDEMANN, R.A. and
water. Other system parameters were also affected by the grid RIZVI, S.S.H., Kinetics of Methane Hydrate
block size. For example, we observed that the use of larger grid
3
Decomposition; Chemical Engineering Science, 42(7), 8. SIQUEIRA, R., Numerical Simulation of In Situ
pp. 1645-1653 (1987). Combustion; M.Sc. Thesis, University of Calgary
7. LE THIEZ, P.A. and LEMONNIER, P.A., An In Situ (1985).
Combustion Reservoir Simulator with a New
Representation of Chemical Reactions; SPE Reservoir
Engineering, pp. 285-292 (1990).
Parameter Value
T0 300°C
c0 1 kg/m3
u 3.6×10-5 m/s
L 1m
k0 144 s-1
D 1.2×10-6 m2/s
E 83870 J/mole
∆H 3.13×106 J/kg
λ 0.01 W/(mK)
ρ 20 kg/m3
cP 420 J/(kgK)
0.9
0.8
0.7
2.3 hr
0.6 4.6 hr
c (kg /m3)
9.3 hr
0.5 11.6 hr
13.9 hr
0.4 18.5 hr
27.8 hr
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
x (m)
4
700
650
600
550
500 2.3 hr
T (K)
4.6 hr
450 9.3 hr
11.6 hr
13.9 hr
400
18.5 hr
27.8 hr
350
300
250
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
x (m)
10.0
4.6 hr
9.0
9.3 hr
11.6 hr
8.0
13.9 hr
18.5 hr
7.0
27.8 hr
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Δx (m)
Figure 3: Upscaled reaction constant as a function of length scale and time.