Radial core flooding apparatus and method for analysis of static and/or dynamic properties of reservoir rock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10845291-B2
Application number	US-201815980304-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2018
Priority date	May 16, 2017
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

Apparatuses and methods suitable for (i) measuring lithological or petro-physical properties of reservoir core sample including shale rock; (ii) evaluating the degree of formation damage caused by foreign fluid into formation; (iii) conducting dynamic experiments, such as water flooding, chemical solution flooding, and supercritical CO2 injection to displacing oil tests; (iv) simulating physical radial flow experiments using reservoir core sample(s) at conditions of temperature up to 150° C. and pressure up to 6000 psi, are provided involving radial flow through the core sample(s) having at least partially hollow centers in an axial direction, up to annular axial cross-sections.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A radial core-flooding apparatus, comprising:
a main body including a cylindrical cavity with a first end and a second end separated by a side wall along a longitudinal axis of the main body, the main body being configured to contain a subterranean core sample having an at least partially hollow central, axial cross-section;
a disc-shaped flange, arranged within or upon the cylindrical cavity and releasably attached to the first end;
a piston, arranged within the cylindrical cavity and removably and slidably disposed in a compartment of the second end, the piston being configured to hold the subterranean core sample;
a flexible core sleeve, arranged within the cylindrical cavity and sealingly attached to the disc-shaped flange, the flexible core sleeve being configured to confine the subterranean core sample;
an opening on the side wall suitable for injecting a confining fluid to the cylindrical cavity, the confining fluid being suitable to apply a circumferential stress to the flexible core sleeve and the subterranean core sample;
an injection port arranged in the first end and the disc-shaped flange, the injection port being configured to deliver an injection fluid to the at least partially hollow center of the subterranean core sample;
a production port arranged in the first end and the disc-shaped flange, the production port being configured to collect a discharge fluid from the subterranean core sample; and
an aperture on the second end suitable for injecting an overburden fluid to the compartment, the overburden fluid being configured to apply an axial stress to the subterranean core sample.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the injection port includes a sensor configured to detect pressure in the at least partially hollow center of the subterranean core sample.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the injection port is configured to deliver at least 20% of a stream of the injection fluid into the at least partially hollow center of the subterranean core sample.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising more than one of the opening on the side wall.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising more than one of the aperture on the second end.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of the production ports, the production ports being symmetrically distributed about the circumference of the first end.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first o-ring arranged sealingly between the disc-shaped flange and the main body; and
a second o-ring arranged sealingly between the first end and the main body; and/or
a third o-ring arranged sealingly between the second end and the main body; and/or
a fourth o-ring arranged sealingly between the first end and the main body; and/or
a fifth o-ring arranged sealingly between the first end and the main body.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible core sleeve comprises an elastomer in at least 50 wt. % of a sleeve total weight.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the elastomer is a fluoroelastomer, and is present in an amount of at least 75 wt. % of the sleeve total weight.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the fluoroelastomer comprises, in copolymerized form, hexafluoropropylene (HFP), vinylidene fluoride (VDF or VF2), tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), perfluoromethylvinylether (PMVE), or a mixture of three or more of any of these.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the fluoroelastomer has a fluorine content in a range of from 60 to 75 wt. %.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a porous jacket having an annular, cylindrical shape with an outer side surface, an inside surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface,
wherein the inside surface contacts the subterranean core sample, and
wherein the porous jacket comprises a fluoropolymer in an amount of at least 50 wt. % of its total weight.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the fluoropolymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinylfluoride (PVF), ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE), perfluoropropylvinylether (PPVE), perfluoromethylvinylether (PMVE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), or a mixture of two or more of any of these.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the fluoropolymer has a density in a range of from 2 to 3.5 g/cm 3 .

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the fluoropolymer has a melting point in a range of from 215° to 375° C.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the main body is configured to contain two or more subterranean core samples.

17. A radial core-flooding system, comprising:
the radial core-flooding apparatus of claim 1 ;
the subterranean core sample with the at least partially hollow interior, disposed in the cylindrical cavity and confined with the flexible core sleeve such that the hollow interior is aligned with the injection port and an annular space exists between the flexible core sleeve and an inner surface of the main body;
a first pump configured to deliver the injection fluid to the injection port;
a second pump configured to deliver the overburden fluid to the aperture so as to apply the axial stress to the subterranean core sample;
a third pump configured to deliver the confining fluid to the opening so as to apply the circumferential stress to the flexible core sleeve and the subterranean core sample;
a first transducer configured to measure a pressure of the injection fluid;
a second transducer configured to measure a pressure of the discharge fluid; and
a third transducer configured to measure a differential pressure of the injection fluid and the discharge fluid.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the subterranean core sample has a cylindrical geometry including a lateral surface, a top base surface, and a bottom base surface,
wherein the lateral surface of the subterranean core sample is covered with a porous jacket, and
wherein the top and the bottom base surfaces are covered with a coating material.

19. The system of claim 17 , further comprising:
a vacuum sealed furnace, the radial core-flooding apparatus being enclosed within the vacuum sealed furnace; and
a backpressure regulator configured to adjust a backpressure in the subterranean core sample.

20. A method of measuring a permeability of a subterranean core sample with the system of claim 17 , the method comprising:
delivering the overburden fluid to the aperture;
delivering the injection fluid to the injection port, while concurrently delivering the confining fluid to the opening to apply the circumferential stress to the flexible core sleeve and the subterranean core sample, the injection fluid permeating through the subterranean core sample and the discharge fluid being collected from the production port;
measuring a differential pressure of the injection fluid at the injection port and the discharge fluid at the production port; and
measuring the permeability of the subterranean core sample using the Darcy equation.

Assignees

• Univ King Fahd Pet & Minerals

Inventors

• Kanj Mazen Yousef
• Zhou Xianmin

Classifications

• G01N15/0826 Primary

  and measuring fluid flow rate, i.e. permeation rate or pressure change · CPC title

• G01N33/241

  for hydrocarbon content · CPC title

• E21B49/006

  Measuring wall stresses in the borehole · CPC title

• G01N15/0806

  Details, e.g. sample holders, mounting samples for testing · CPC title

• E21B49/02

  by mechanically taking samples of the soil · CPC title