Numerical Modeling of Salt Precipitation During Produced Water Reinjection

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a coupled chemical-hydro-mechanical model for the evaluation of the fluid behavior around an injector well taking into account insoluble salt precipitation (barium and strontium sulfate). A salt precipitation model is developed and coupled with the ion transport equation describing the ion movements and reactions through porous media. The finite element method has been used to obtain the solution for the coupling amongst the ion transport, the fluid flow and the mechanical response of the rock. A computer program has been developed to solve this highly nonlinear problem. Results of an experimental test1 carried out in a sand pack with the analysis of the barium sulfate crystal growth was selected as benchmark to test the computer program developed using the methodology described above, showing an excellent agreement between the numerical and the experimental results.