Dr. Russell Johns Penn State University, Visiting Scholar at Colorado School of Mines Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) by solvent injection offers significant potential to increase recovery from shale oil reservoirs, which are typically between 3 and 7% OOIP. The rather sparse literature on this topic typically models these tight reservoirs based on conventional reservoir processes […]

Cheng Chen, Ph.D. Pore-scale Imaging/Modeling and the Application in the Study of Proppant Compaction and Embedment Understanding of proppant transport and deposition patterns in a hydraulic fracture is critical for effective and economical production of hydrocarbons. In this research, a numerical modeling approach, combining the discrete element method (DEM) with single-/multiphase lattice Boltzmann (LB) simulation, […]

Russell Johns Abstract: Current compositional simulators include compositional equation-of-state fluid models, but do not account for compositional effects on relative permeability, capillary pressure, and grid-block flux calculations.  Relative permeability, for example, is still based on “old thinking” related to labeling of phases as “oil, gas, and water.”  Labeling causes significant discontinuities that can result in […]

Ergün Kuru from University of Alberta Assessment of Critical Conditions Required for Effective Hole Cleaning in Horizontal Wells Hole cleaning is a complex process as there are many variables affect cuttings removal (e.g. drilling fluid type, density, flow rate and rheological properties, cuttings size, hole inclination angle, drill pipe rotation speed and eccentricity). Among these variables, […]

Francisco Alhanati from CFER Unconventional well applications - Challenges for artificial lift Unconventional well applications present several challenges for artificial lift.  The rapid production decline usually makes it necessary for operators to change the lift system after certain time, and minimizing the costs associated with these changes is paramount.  The deep, long horizontal well configuration […]