Numerical Simulation of Water-Oil Flow in Naturally
Fractured Reservoirs
H. KAZEMI
MEMBER SPE-AIME
L. S. MERRILL,,JR.
K. L. PORTERFIELD
P. R. ZEMAN
MEMBER SPE-AIME
ABSTRACT
A three-dimensional, multiple-well, numerical
simulator for simulating single- or two-phase flow
of water and oil is developed for fractured reservoirs.
The simulator equations are two-phase flow
extensions of the single-phase flow equations
derived by Warren· and Root.l The simulator accounts
for relative fluid mobilities, gravity force, imbibition,
and variation in reservoir properties. The simulator
hand! es uniformly and non uniformly distributed
fractures and/or no fractures at all. The simulator
can be used to simulate the water-oil displacement
process and in the transient testing of fractured
reservoirs.
The simulator was used on the conceptual models
of two naturally fractured reservoirs: a quadrant of
a five-spot reservoir and a five-well dipping
reservoir with water drive. These results show the
significance of imbibition in recovering oil from
the reservoir rock in reservoirs with an intercon-
nected fracture network.
INTRODUCTION
Numerical reservoir simulators are being used
extensively to simulate multiphase, multicomponent
flow in nsingle-porosity" petroleum reservoirs.
Such simulators generally cannot be used to study
flow behavior in the naturally fractured reservoirs
that are usually classified as double-porosity
systems. In the latter, one porosity is associated
with the matrix blocks and the other represents that
of the fractures and vugs. If fractures provide the
main path for fluid flow from the reservoir, then
usually the oil from the matrix blocks flows into
the fracture space, and the fractures carry the oil
to the wellbore. When water comes in contact with
the oil zone, water may imbibe into the matrix
blocks to displace oil. Combinations of large flow
Original manuscript received in Society of Petroleum Engineers
office Nov. 13, 1975. Paper accepted for publication Aug, 30,
1976. Revised manuscript received Oct. 5, 1976. Paper (SPE
5719) was first presented at the SPE-AIME Fourth Symposium
on Numerical Simulation of Reservoir Performance, held in Los
Angeles, Feb, 19-20, 1976. ©Copyright 1976 American Institute
of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc.
This paper will be included in the 1976 Transactio.ns volume.
DECEMBER, 1976
MARATHON OIL CO.
LITTLETON, COLO.
rates, low matrix permeability, and weak imbibition
may result in water fingering through the fractures
into the wellbore. Once fingering of water occurs,
the water-oil ratio may increase to a large value.
None of the published theoretical work on
multiphase flow in naturally fractured systems has
been applied directly to the simulation of a
reservoir as a whole. Usually, only a segment of
the reservoir was simulated, and the results were
extrapolated to the entire reservoir. To simulate a
reservoir as a whole, we have developed a
mathematical formulation of the flow problem that
has been programmed as a three-dimensional,
compressible, water-oil reservoir simulator.
The simulator equations are two-phase flow
extensions of the single-phase flow equations
derived by Warren and Root.l The theory is based
on the assumption of double porosity at each point
in a manner that the fractures form a continuum
filled by the noncontinuous matrix blocks. In other
words, the fractures are the boundaries of the
matrix blocks.
The flow equations are solved by a finite-
difference method. A typical finite-difference grid
cell usually contains one or several matrix blocks.
In this case, all the matrix blocks within the
finite-difference grid cell have the same pressure
and saturation. Gravity segregation within individual
matrix blocks is not calculated, but the over-all
gravity segregation from one grid cell to another is
accounted for. In many practical problems, this
approximation is acceptable. In some situations, a
matrix block encloses several finite-difference
grid cells. In this case, the gravity segregation
within the matrix block is calculated.
To include heterogeneity, a redefinition of local
porosities and permeabilities provides a method for
simulating situations where part of the reservoir is
fractured and where part is not fractured.
The above description points to the complexity
of the situations that one encounters. Therefore,
the judicious choice of the number of finite-
difference grid cells with respect to the number of
matrix blocks becomes a critical engineering
decision. Later sections will provide insight to
alleviate such decisions.
317
 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE matrix more than with the total flow problem in the
fracture-matrix system. For instance, Mattax and
Numerous papers on single- and two-phase flow
Kyte 8 developed equations for scaling up imbibition
in naturally fractured porous media (usually referred
effects. Parsons and Chaney 15 used these equations
to as two-porosity systems) have appeared in the in a study of imbibition effects in carbonate rocks.
literature. In single-phase flow, Barenblatt et al. 2 Iffly et al., 13 in addition to the experimental work,
laid a general foundation of flow behavior in such used a one-dimensional, two-phase, semi-implicit
two-porosity systems. Later, Warren and Root 1 mathematical model to match the experimental oil
developed a one-dimensional radial model for well recoveries from the matrix blocks. Their model
transient testing purposes. Kazemi 3 extended treated the flow in the fractures as a boundary
Warren and Root's model to a more complex condition for the flow equations in the matrix
situation in two dimensions. Virtually all the work blocks. This approach is usually suitable for the
in single-phase flow has been directed toward conceptual studies prevailing in the common
transient testing applications. 4 - 6 laboratory experiments. However, the method is not
In two-phase flow, the works of Birks 7 and Mattax rigorous enough for field applications where the
and Kyte, 8 although quite different in their approach,
reservoir geometry is far more complex than the
gave practical ways of calculating oil recovery
laboratory cor.es. A similar mathematical model in
from the matrix blocks. The methods represented
two dimensions was used by Kleppe and Morse 16
by these papers r.equired only a slide rule. Birks to match imbibition experiments.
formulated the mechanics of oil displacement from
the matrix blocks (either by water or gas drive) FLOW EQUATIONS
first by an idealized capillary model, and second
by a simple relative-permeability model. Mattax and Consider an elemental reservoir volume as shown
Kyte were concerned with imbibition oil recovery in Fig. 1. We assume the fractures form a continuum,
from matrix blocks in water-drive reservoirs. They but the matrix blocks are noncontinuous; the frac-
developed an oil-recovery prediction technique tures are the boundaries of the matrix blocks. An
based on the semiempirical relation that ((the time idealization of such a system, as was conceived
required to recover a given fraction of oil from a by Warren and Root,1 is shown in Fig. 2.
matrix block is proportional to the square of the
distance between fractures.'' Recently, a very
specialized gas-oil, multicomponent (compositional)
numerical simulator was developed by Yamamoto et
al. 9 This simulator accounts for the interphase
mass transfer between the oil and the gas in a
single matrix block and its adjacent fracture. It
further considers interporosity flow between a given
matrix block and the surrounding fractures.
Other multiphase fracture flow work includes the
theoretical works of Barenblatt 10 and Braester. 11 • 12
Barenblatt considers the reservoir as two overlap-
ping continua - one being the matrix and the .other
the fractures. He then formulates the immiscible
two-phase flow for each continuum using
conservation of mass principles; ~nd flow between
the matrix blocks and the fractures is accounted
FLOW IN
for by ( tsource functions.'' These source functions
FIG. 1-SCHEMATIC OF AN ELEMENTAL RESERVOIR
are virtually Darcy's law expressed over some VOLUME IN A N.A.TURALLY FRACTURED RESERVOIR.
mean path between the matrix-block centers and
the adjacent fracture centers. Braester uses a
formulation similar to Barenblatt' s except for the TT I I I
v
Tl I I I vv
ELEMENTAL TTl
source function. His source function is defined in VOLUMEt.V i-l,j,k
f-
i,j,k
f- I-<
i+l,j,k f..,

~ FRACTURE
f- f- f-
terms of the potential gradient in the fractures, the
capillary-pressure difference between the liquid in
the fractures and the matrix blocks, and the density
L ITT
J I I
I I I
I I I
~-><v
~

MATRIX
BLOCK
difference between liquid phases. Barenblatt does
not give any solution to his formulation, but Braester
offers a solution for one-dimensional vertical
PRESSURE
displacement in Ref. 11 and a similar solution for TREND

one-dimensional horizontal displacement in Ref. 12.

Several papers 8 • 13 - 15 have been published on
the experimental work on flow in fractured media. FLOW DIRECTION, x

These papers have been concerned primarily with FIG. 2 - IDEALIZATION OF FLOW AND ELEMENTAL
RESERVOIR VOLUMES CONTAINING MATRIX BLOCKS
imbibition aspects of the flow mechanism in the
IN A NATURALLY FRACTURED RESERVOIR.

318 SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

 Assuming that Darcy's law holds, a mass balance For undersaturated oil and water, B oc 1/p. Thus,
on an elemental volume yields Eq. 1 for flow in the
fractures and Eq. 2 for flow in the matrix blocks: ~t (¢f5af18 af) ~ ~t (¢fpaf 5af) =
1
V•[Aafpa(V11Jaf - 144 VDf)J 8\j; f
5afpaf [paf¢fc¢f + paf¢fca] a~
- [Tama( 5ama) (11Jaf - 1Pama)] asaf . (10)
+ Paf¢f 3t ·
+ qao(X - Xo) = 5.6~46 ~t (¢f 5af18 af)
Substitution of the above identity into Eq. 1 and
( 1)
substitution of its matrix counterpart into Eq. 2
leads to the governing ~quations used in the
Tama ( Sama ) Pa ( 1JJ a f - 1JJ ama ) = simulator:

V·[AafV¢af] - [Tama( 5ama)(¢af - ¢ama)]

5.6~46 ~t (¢ma 5 ama 18 ama) ~
(2)
+ qao(X - Xo) = 5.6~46 {(SafiBa)
where a = w, nw represent wetting and nonw~tting
phases, respectively. ¢f 83 af
apaf
• (¢fc¢f + ¢fca) --:at+ Bat}' · · 01 )
Aaf = 0. 0011271 ~:ci~:r )f · (3) a

Tama( 5 am~(~af - ~ama) =

Tama( 5ama) = 0.0011271 (klla a rna a· ~ar) (4)

5.6~46 {(Sama1Ba)(¢mac~ma + ¢maca)

p 8 ~ama Pma 35 ama

dp a at + -B- at } ' · · · · · c12)
.... ..... (5)
1Jla =1Po p(pa)
•·

where
a

5wf + 5 nwf = 1 ' s wma + s nwma = 1 . ~

'~'af
= paf - pa01144 and

a DI 144 , ·
(6) ~
ama = pama - P (13)

Eqs. 11 and 12 are the final form of the flow

equations and are :. used in the finite-difference
(7) simulator, as explained in Appendix A.

TEST OF THE SIMULATOR

For single-phase flow applications, Warren and
Root have derived the following equation for a:*
o = 4N ( N + 2) I L2 , · · · · · · · · ·
where N =number of normal sets of fractures: 1, 2,
or 3.
If matrix blocks have dimensions Lx, LY, and L z•
then
Two degenerate forms of the simulator, which
had zero matrix permeability and porosity, were
(8) tested against a single-phase simulator and a
two-phase waterflood simulator. The agreement was
quite satisfactory. In fact, the reader can recognize
a priori that, in the above degenerate forms, the
equations and the method of solution are the same
as those published for standard reservoir simulators.

CONCEPTUAL EXAMPLES
L for N =· 1
J
L = l2~ XLyI ( LX + Ly ) for N = 2 To test the simulator, we made several conceptual
runs with applications to a quadrant of a five-spot
3L X Ly LZI(L X Ly + Ly LZ + LZ LX ) *In finite-difference formulation, it can be shown that for a
full three-dimensional case,
for N = 3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (9)

DECEMBER, 1976 319

 1.0
pattern, and a five-well reservoir having dip and
natural water influx. The relative permeabilities
\~kromo and the capillary-pressure curves used are shown
0.8
in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively. It should be noted
that the relative permeability to oil and water in
...... the fracture covers the full spectrum of saturations
>=" 0.6 from 0 to 1. The relative permeability in the matrix
~
~
ii
is restricted to the mobile saturation range from
<(
w Sw = 0.25 to Sw = 0. 70. The matrix capillary
2:
Gl:
w 0.4
pressure is generally much greater than the fracture
A.
w capillary pressure. The capillary- pressure end-
>
points in both the fracture and the matrix are the
3
w
Gl: same, so the transition zones are identical in the
0.2
fracture and the m~trix. This is necessary, otherwise
a static equilibrium for saturation and pressure
distribution is not possible.
QUADRANT OF A FIVE-SPOT MODEL
WATER SATURATION, Sw
As shown in Fig. 4, the capillary .pressure in the
FIG. 3 -RELATIVE PERMEABILITY FOR OIL AND
WATER IN A FRACTURED RESERVOIR. fracture declines rapidly with increased water
6.0 .--------r-----r-----.-----r---~ saturation. This sets up a pressure differential
from the matrix to the fracture causing oil to flow
to the fracture and water to flow to the matrix. This
5.0
is the imbibition effect, but other forces such as
gravity and viscous forc<;s are also simultaneously
effective.
iii Fig. 5 compares WOR for the fractured and the
Q.. 4.0
~ \ unfractured rock, with and without imbibition, for a
w
a: \ quadrant of a five-spot system. Assumed reservoir
.,::I properties are reported in Table 1. In the unfractured
:na: 3.0 \
Q.. rock, water breakthrough occurred in the producing
> \-vPcmo
a: well at about 400 days. The WOR then increased to
~ \ about 1.0 at 775 days and to 5.0 at 1,200 days. In
~
u 2.0 \ the fractured rock with imbibition, water break-
\ through occurred very early- within about 30 days.
However, because of water imbibition into the
\
1.0 \ matrix and countercurrent flow of oil from the matrix
into the fracture, the WOR stayed relatively low,

0.0
0.0 0.2
WATER SATURATION, Sw
"' 0.8 1.0
reaching 1.0 in about 530 days. It is interesting to
note that the WOR reached about 5 at 1,200 days-
nearly the same as in the unfractured system. In
FIG. 4-CAPILLARY PRESSURE FOR A FRACTURED fact, at this time, the curves crossed over and the
RESERVOIR WITH IMBIBITION. unfractured system's WOR increased at a faster
rate than the fractured rock with imbibition.
By setting the capillary effects to about zero and

TABLE 1 - RES!i:RVOIR PROPERTIES FOR THE

CONCEPTUAL FIVE-SPOT PATTERN
1<zna = 1.0 md
k 1 = 10,000 md
Reservoir grid: 8 x 8 x 1
~X = ~y = 75 ft, h = 30 ft
a = 0.08 ft- 2 -matrix block size: 10 x 10 x 30ft
¢rna= 0.19
NON-FRACTURED ROCK cf>t = 0.01
~~~r~!:~~~~o~V / C¢t = Ccf>ma = 3.0 X 1o-6 psi-1
,/
/
flw = 0.5 cp
.,....// flo = 2.0 cp
Pw = 0.4444 psi/ft = 64 11:\n/Cu ft
Po = 0.3611 psi/ft = 52 lbm/cu ft
TIME, DAYS
8w = 1.0 at p = 0 psia; 8w= 0.9760 atp =' 8,000 psia
FIG. 5 - COMPARISON OF WOR FOR FRACTURED 8 0 = 1.0 at p = 0 psia; 8 0 = 0.9200 at p = 8,000 psia
AND NONFRACTURED ROCK WITH AND WITHOUT Pi = 3,959.89 psia
IMBIBITION IN A QUADRANT OF A FIVE-SPOT qin = -200 STB/D
PATTERN. qout = 210 STB/D

320 SOCIETY 'OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL

thus eliminating water imbibition, the WOR in the TABLE 2 - RESERVOIR PROPERTIES FOR THE
fractured rock increased very rapidly....;;.. reacrhing a CONCEPTUAL FIVE-WELL FRACTURED RESERVOIR MODEL
value of 5.0 in about 150 days. In effect, water is ~a = 1.0 md

channeling through the fractures from the lfiJection kt = 21,000 md

¢rna= 0.20
to the producing well without much oil recovery cf>t = 0.01
from the matrix. a= 0.0008 tt-2-matrix block size: 100 x 100 x 90ft
Fig. 6 depicts the saturation distribution with Reservoir grid: 13 x 5 x 1
time 1 along the diagonal of the above quadrant of ~X = ~y = 500ft, h = 90ft
the five-spot pattern for both the matrix arid the Ccpt = Ccj;ma = 3.0 X 1o-6 psi- 1
fracture components of the fractured reservoir with f.lw = 0.5 cp
flo = 2.0 cp
imbibition. Notice that by about 1,200 days, the
Pw = 0.4385 psi/ft = 63.14 lbm/cu ft
water saturation in the matrix in the injection-well
Po == 0.3611 psi/ft = 52.00 lbm/cu ft
node is close to 59 percent and the water saturation Bw = 1.0 at p = 0 psi a; Bw = 0.9760 at p = 8,000 psia
in the fracture is nearly 97 percent. An observation 8 0 = 1.0 at p = 0 psia; 8 0 = 0.9200 at p = 8,000 psia
of the time data indicates that imbibition has nearly Pi = 3,983.75 psia
spent itself. At the producing-well node, imbibition
is still active because of the .lower water saturation.
It should be noted that, if reservoir parameters were assumed, recoveries and WOR's substantially
different from those in Table 1 and Figs. 3 and 4 different from the result reported above would have
been obtained.

FIVE-WELL FRACTURED RESERVOIR MODEL

~.. --MATRIX
- - - - - FRACTURE

Fig. 7 shows the node arrangements for a

conceptual, five-well fractured reservoir. The
reservoir properties are shown in Table 2. The
model has 13 nodes in the x direction, 5 nodes in
the y direction, and 1 node in the z direction. The
reservoir nodes are 500 ft on· each side and the
reservoir thickness is 90 ft. The wells are arranged
along a center line in the x direction, and the
reservoir is tilted in the x direction at an angle of
o.o 0!:--,---:-!::------r-:::!:::---r-~::...::,...,-±:----,-~--,-L,-----,:c...::.=::;L-_J

i 5°. A constant influx of 21 800 STB/D of water was

7,7 8.8
DISTANCE ALONG THE INJECTION PRODUCTION 'NELL, FT assigned along the lowest part of the reservoir from
FIG. 6 SATURATION DISTRIBUTION ALONG A
Cell (1,1,1) to Cell (1,5,1).
DIAGONAL OF A QUADRANT OF A FIVE-SPOT PAT- Each reservoir node is further divided into 25
TERN FOR MATRIX AND FRACTURE COMPONENTS matrix blocks - 100 ft on each side in the x and y
OF THE RESERVOIR. directions. The matrix cells are 90 ft thick. Thus,
there are 1,625 matrix blocks in the reservoir.
Wells 1, 3, and 5 were produced at a rate of 1,000
STB/D. When Well 1 went to a high WOR, it was
shut in and Well 4 was opened at the same rate.
Well 2 was never produced because of its high
water saturation. The WOR for each well is shown
in Fig. 8.
Fig. 9 illustrates the saturation distribution
along the central axis of the reservoir in the x
direction for both the matrix and the fracture.

0:
0
ill

Time, Days

FIG. 8 - WOR IN PRODUCING WELLS UPDIP FROM

FIG. 7 -A RESERVOIR-MODEL NODE ARRANGEMENT WATER-INFLUX POINT IN THE FIVE-WELL FRAC-
AND A SINGLE CELL CONTAINING A FRACTURE. TURED RESERVOIR.

DECEMBER, 1976 321

 Notice that because of the size of the matrix 4. The simulator can be used to simulate the
blocks, the saturation in the matrix has not changed water-oil displacement process and in the transient
significantly. testing of fractured reservoirs.

SIMULATOR CAP ABILITY NOMENCLATURE

The following is a list of the simulator capa- B formation volume factor, RB/STB
bilities. c compressibility, psi-1
I. It can handle single-phase flow of oil or water D depth measured from datum plane (posi-
and two-phase flow of oil and water.
tive downward), ft
2. It can handle uniformly and nonuniformly
distributed fractures and/ or no fractures at all. In k absolute permeability, md
the latter application, suppose we wish to have no relative permeability
fractures in one-half of a field and fractures and characteristic dimension of the matrix
matrix in the. remaining half. In the first half we block, ft
set the matrix properties equal to zero. Then we matrix-block length, ft
make the properties of the fracture the same as matrix-block width, ft
what we originally wanted the matrix to be. In the
matrix-block height, ft
second half we assign proper properties to the
fracture and the matrix. Similar approaches were number of normal sets of fractures: 1, 2,
used to simulate fracture trends: along such a trend or 3
we used a double porosity consisting of the fracture p pressure., psi
and the matrix components. In the remaining portion capillary pressure, psi
of the field we used fractures having the properties fracture capillary pressure, psi
of matrix and then we set matrix properties equal matrix capillary pressure, psi
to zero.
q flow rate, STB/D; injection is positive,
3. The simulator accounts for .imbibition, but it
production negative
also considers gravity, relative mobility, and
variation in reservoir properties. s1 phase saturation in fracture, fraction
4. The simulator also can be used as either a sma = phase saturation in matrix, fraction
single- or a two-phase simulator for transient t time, days
testing of fractured reservoirs. Tama . .::. matrix transmiss1v1ty coefficient for
phase a, md/ cp/ sq ft (RB/STB)
CONCLUSIONS
vp pore volume, bbl
1. A three-dimensional, numerical simulator for X x coordinate (horizontal), ft
for simulating single- or two-phase flow of water y y coordinate (horizontal), ft
and oil is developed for fractured reservoirs. z z coordinate (vertical), ft
2. The simulator accounts for relative fluid
(x, y, z) = coordinates of a point
mobilities, gravity force, imbibition, and variation
in reservoir properties. (xo, y0 , z 0 ) =coordinates of the production
3. The simulator can handle uniformly and or injection wells
nonuniformly distributed fractures and no fractures a index: ( w, nw); w is wetting phase and nw
at all. is nonwetting phase
LOr---------------------, Dirac-delta function = 1 for X = /X0 , 0
0.9
otherwise
- - - - Fracture incremental potential change from n to
--Matrix n + 1, psi

Jl
0.7 incremental saturation change from n to
rn
i 0.6
n+1
mobility coefficient of phase a in the
~ 05
rn fracture (a function of phase satura-
04
' ' .... tion), md/ cp/(RB/STB)
/1 viscosity, cp
t= 0, a~. 24~ days ' ,
02
',
p phase density, lbm/ cu ft
'' '' a shape factor reflecting the geometry of
0.1 '.......... ....... ..............

the matrix elements; it controls the

flow between the matrix and the frac-
2,3 3,3 4,3 5,3 6,3 7,3 8,3 9,3 10,3 1!,3 12,3 13,3
ture, fr-2
Distance Along The Array of Producing Wells, ft fracture porosity, fraction of the bulk
FIG. 9 - SATURATION DISTRIBUTION ALONG THE rock volume
CENTRAL AXIS OF THE FIVE-WELL FRACTURED matrix porosity, fraction of the bulk rock
RESERVOIR. volume
322 SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL
 <ll potential, psi, Eq. 13 Homogeneous Liquids in Fissured Rocks," PMM
( 1960) Vol. 24, No. 5.
lj; defined by Eq. 5, psi/(lbm/ cu ft)
3. Kazemi, H.: "Pressure Transient Analysis of
SUBSCRIPTS Naturally Fractured Reservoirs With. Uniform Fracture
Distribution," Soc. Pet. Eng. ]. (Dec. 1969) 451-462;
c capillary Trans., AIME, Vol. 246.
I fracture 4. Odeh, A. S.: "Unsteady-State Behavior of Naturally
Fractured Reservoirs," Soc. Pet. Eng. ]. (March
x-direction node index 1965) 60-66; Trans., AIME, Vol. 234.
j y-direction node index 5. Kazemi, H., Seth, M. S., and Thomas, G. W.: ''The
k z-direction node index Interpretation of Interference Tests in Naturally
Fractured Reservoirs With Uniform Fracture Distri-
ma matrix
bution," Soc. Pet. Eng. ]. (Dec. 1969) 463-472;
nw nonwetting phase Trans., AIME, Vol. 246.
nwf nonwetting phase in fracture 6. Chiang, C. P. and Kennedy, W. A.: "Numerical
nwma nonwetting phase in matrix Simulation of Pressure Behavior in a Fractured
Reservoir," paper SPE 3067 presented at the SPE-
0 designates source of sink as in X0 AIME 45th Annual Fall Meeting, Houston, Oct. 4-7,
of oil in fracture, Fig. 3 1970.

om a oil in matrix, Fig. 3 7. Birks, J.: "A Theoretical Investigation Into the
Recovery of Oil From Fissured Limestone Formations
w wetting phase by Water-Drive and Gas Cap Drive," Proc., Fourth
wf water in fracture World Pet. Cong., Rome (1955) Sec. IljF, 425-440.

wma water in matrix 8. Mattax, C. C. and Kyte, J. R.: "Imbibition Oil

Recovery From Fractured, Water-Drive Reservoir,"
X m x direction Soc. Pet. Eng. ]. (June 1962) 177-184; Trans., AIME,
y 1n y direction Vol. 225.

z m z direction 9. Yamamoto, R. H., Padgett, J. D., Ford, W. T., and

Boubeguira, A.: "Compositional Reservoir Simulator
¢ porosity for Fissured Systems - The Single-Block Model,"
Soc. Pet. Eng. ]. (June 1971) 113-128.
SUPERSCRIPTS
10. Barenblatt, G. I.: "On the Motion of a Gas-Liquid
iteration-number index Mixture in Porous Fissured Media," lzv. Akad. Nauk
SSSR, Mekh. Machionst. ( 1964) No. 3, 47-50.
n old time level
11. Braester, C.: "A Shock Wave in Immiscible Displace-
n+1 current time level ment in a Fissured Porous Medium," Israel]. Tech.
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12. Braester, C.: "Simultaneous Flow of Immiscible
OPERATORS Liquids Through Porous Media," Soc. Pet. Eng. ],
V'. divergence of a vector (Aug. 1972) 297-305.
V' gradient of a scalar function 13. lffly, R., Rousselet, D. C., and Vermeulen, J. L.:
"Fundamental Study of Imbibition in Fissured Oil
to...x central difference in x direction Fields," paper SPE 4102 presented at the SPE-AIME
/)..Y central difference in y direction 47th Annual Fall Meeting, San Antonio, Tex., Oct.
8-11, 1972.
/)..z central difference in z direction
14. Mannon, R. W. and Chilingar, G. V.: "Experiments
to...t backward difference in time on Effect of Water Injection Rate on Imbibition Rate
in Fractured Reservoirs," paper SPE 4101 presented
ACKNOWLEDGMENT at the SPE-AIME 47th Annual Fall Meeting, San
Antonio, Tex., Oct. 8-11, 1972.
We thank the management of Marathon Oil Co. for 15. Parsons, R. W. and Chaney, P. R.: "Imbibition Model
permission to publish this paper. Studies on Water-Wet Carbonate Rocks," Soc. Pet.
Eng. ]. (March 1966) 26-34; Trans., AIME, Vol. 237.
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"Basic Concepts in the Theory of Seepage of Simulation Techniques," Soc. Pet. Eng. ]. (June
1972) 253-266; Trans., AIME, Vol. 253.

APPENDIX

NUMERICAL METHODS

SEMI-IMPLICIT FINITE-DIFFERENCE EXPANSION

We used a semi-implicit, finite-difference expansion for Eqs. 11 and 12 as has been explained 1n detail
elsewhere: 17
DECEMBER, 1976 323
 ~ (Tn + oT )~ ~n+1 + ~ (Tn + aT )~ ~n+1 + ~ (Tn + aT )~ ~n+1
X ax ax X af y ay ay y af z az az z af

- (~x~y~z)(Tn aT )(~n+f1 - ~n+1) + (qn + oq)

arna arna a arna a a

(Tn +aT )(~n+1 - ~n+1) 1 ¢rna

ama arna af arna = ~5-.6~1~4~6 Ba~t [Sarna(c¢ma + ca)~t~arna + ~t 5 arna]'
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (A-2)

where

i kxkar). n
= 0. 0011271 B ~Y~z/ ~x '
\
lla a
f

= 0. 0011271 Y ar)n ~x~z/ ~y ,

k k
( lla 8a
f

= 0. 0011271 ( kz:arJ"
lla a f
t,xt;y I t;z '

=
k k
0.0011271 ( ll s:r a
)n
a rna

~af = paf - Paf01144 ' ~ama = Parna - Parna 0/ 144

T0 + aT = Tn+ 1
ax ax ax
T~x = transmissivity of phase a in the x direction for time-level n,
a = index w or nw; w for wetting and nw foe nonwetting phase, and
oT = incremental change of T.
Using the approximation ~(yn + oT)~<l>n+l"" ~yn~<I)n+l + ~oT~<I>n = ~yn~<I>n+l + ~(T"~/)~<l>n, we can
simplify Eq. A-1:

n n+1 . ] [ • ) n ]
.[~ xTax ~ X~ a f + ··· + ~ xTax ~tS a f ~ x~ a f + ...

where "indicates differentiation with respect to saturation.

Subtracting [~xr;x~x<I>~f + ... ]from both sides of Eq. A-3, we get
324 SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL
Eq. A-2 also can be written as

(T~ma + T~ma~t 5 wma)[(~t~af- ~t~ama) + (~~f- ~~rna)]

Eqs. A-4 and A-5 must be solved to obtain ~~ iP af'

~t~ama' ~tsaf' and ~tsama for o:= w, nw.

METHODS OF SOLUTION
Method 1. The block Gauss-Seidel method was used to obtain solutions. The blocked matrix is of order 2.
Eqs . .A-4 and A-5 form four equations in eight unknowns-~tcpaf• ~tcpama' ~tSaf' and ~tSama· The following
substitutions reduce the number of unknowns to four:

Snwma = 1 - Swma or ~ t Snwma = - ~

t Swma

After substitution and some approximation, we get

[ ~ Tn ~ ~t~ (~+1)
f + ... ] + [ ~ X ( TWX
, ~tS f ) ~ ~ nf + ... ]
X WX X W W X W

- (~x~y~z)(Tn )[~ ~(~+1) - ~ ~(~) + ~n ~n ]

wma t wf t wma wf - '*'wma

DECEMBER, 1976
325
 - (llxllyllz)(Tn )(ll q,(t+ 1)- ll q,(t) + P' ll S(t+1)- P' ll S(t) + n n )
nwma t wf t wma cf t wf cma t wma q,nwf - q,nwma

Vn 1
= M-B- [( 1 sn )(c + c )(ll q,(t+1) + P' ll s(t+1)) - ll s(t+1)J
nw wf ~f nw t nwf cf t wf t wf

- [A0 Tn A ~n + ] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (A-7)
X nwxox~nwf ···

= -T'll 5(t+1)(q,n _ n )
w t wma wf q,wma

. . . • . . . . . (A-8)

Tn (ll q,(t+1) _ ll q,(t+1) + P' ll 5(t+1) -P' ll 5(t+1) + q,n

nwma t wf t wma cf t wf cma t wma nwf

x [(1 sn )( )(ll q,(t+1) +P' ll s(t+1) - ll s(t+1))J

- wma c~ma + cnw t wma cma· t wma t wma
(A-9)

Eqs. A-6 through A-9 are in the form Ax = b, where xis! column vector with components ~/P;.}/ 1 ),
~tsU +1), ~t((l(l+1), and ~ S(l+1). A is the coefficient matrix, b is a constant vector, and l is the iteration
w1 wma t wma
number.
To obtain a solution, we solve Eqs. A-6 and A-7 for ~t<P~/ 1 ) and ~ts~t ), using ~t<P;j~a and ~tS~~a·
1

Then ' ~ t <PClt1)

w and ~t sU
w1+1) are substituted in Eqs • A-8 and A-9 to obtain ~t <t>Cl+1)
wma and ~ t sCZ+1).
wma The itera-
tions are carried out for l = 0, · 1, 2, ... , until convergence is reached within a specified pressure and
saturation tolerance.
Method 2. Eqs. A-6 through A-9 can be solved simultaneously for ~t<Pwf• ~tSwf• ~<Pwma• and ~tSwma by
Gaussian elimination. This method requires more storage and takes several times more computing time than
Method 1. Method 2, however, should. be useful when taking larger time steps.
Method 3. When the number of nodes is more than 1,000, an iterative scheme such as point SOR, ADIP, or
SIP should be used.
Method 4. Method 1 can be extended to become a block SOR by adding a proper acceleration factor. We
anticipate use of much larger time steps with Method 4 at very little cost.
***

326 SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL