The Mechanism Study of Fracture Porosity in High-Water-Cut Reservoirs

Abstract

Many onshore oil fields currently adopt water flooding as a means to supplement reservoir energy. However, due to reservoir heterogeneity, significant differences in permeability exist not only between different reservoirs but also within the same reservoir across different planar orientations. After prolonged fluid flushing in the near-wellbore zone of injection wells, the resulting increased flow resistance between layers exacerbates inefficient and ineffective circulation. A considerable amount of remaining oil is left unexploited in untouched areas, significantly impacting the overall recovery. To investigate the multiscale plugging mechanisms of fracture-dominated pore channels in high-water-cut oil reservoirs and achieve efficient management of fractured large channels, this study explores the formation of the fracture-flushing zone-low saturation oil zone. A physical experimental model with fractures and high-intensity flushing is established to analyze changes in pore structure, mineral composition, residual oil distribution, and other characteristics at different positions near the fractures. The research aims to clarify the mechanism behind the formation of large channels with fracture structures. The results indicate that under high-intensity water flushing, cementing materials are washed away by the flowing water, clay particles are carried to the surface with the injected fluid, and permeability significantly increases, forming high-permeability zones with fracture structures. In the rock interior away from the fracture end, channels, corners, and clustered oil content noticeably decrease, while the content of film-like oil substantially increases, and clay minerals are not significantly washed away. Under strong flushing conditions, the number of residual clay particles near the fracture end is mainly influenced by flow velocity and flushing time; thus, the greater the flushing intensity, the faster the water flow, and the longer the flushing time, the fewer residual clay particles near the fracture end.

Keywords

• high-water-cut oil reservoirs
• fractures
• large channels
• inefficient and ineffective circulation