Control-Volume Model for Simulation of Water Injection in Fractured Media: Incorporating Matrix Heterogeneity and Reservoir Wettability Effects

Abstract

Summary The control-volume discrete-fracture (CVDF) model is extended to incorporate heterogeneity in rock and in rock-fluid properties. A novel algorithm is proposed to model strong water-wetting with zero capillary pressure in the fractures. The extended method is used to simulate: (1) oil production in a layered faulted reservoir, (2) laboratory displacement tests in a stack of matrix blocks with a large contrast in fracture and matrix capillary pressure functions, and (3) water injection in 2D and 3D fractured media with mixed-wettability state. Our results show that the algorithm is suitable for the simulation of water injection in heterogeneous porous media both in water-wet and mixed-wettability states. The novel approach with zero fracture capillary and nonzero matrix capillary pressure allows the proper prediction of sharp fronts in the fractures.