Gridding and Well

Modelling in Reservoir
Simulation

Gridding in Reservoir
Simulation
o Gridding Process: is simply one of chopping
into a (large) number of smaller spatial
blocks which then the numerical block to
block flow calculations are performed.
o This process of dividing up the reservoir
into such blocks is known as spatial
discretisation.
o Type of grids: Cartesian Grid, Radial Grid,
Distorted Grid (Corner Point Geometry),
and Hybrid Grid
o Dimension of Grids: 1D, 2D, and 3D

Cartesian Grid
(a). 1D horizontal grid

(b). 1D vertical grid

Cartesian Grid
(c). 2D areal grid

Cartesian Grid
(d). 2D areal grid (cross sectional model
showing a water front in a waterflood)

Cartesian Grid

(e). 3D cartesian grid (Modelling

reservoir with several layers)

Radial Grid

(a)1D Radial Grid

(b)2D Radial Grid

Radial Grid

(c) 3D Radial Grid

Accuracy of Simulations and

Numerical Dispersion
Numerical dispersion is essentially an
error due to the fact that we use a
grid block approximation for solving
the flow equations.

Numerical Dispersion Error

t = 1: No fluid flowed
from block to block
[Krw (Swc) = 0]
t = 2: Fluid flows from
block i=1 to block i = 2
After only t = 5 water
has reached block 5.

One
method
of
reducing numerical
dispersion
is
to
increase the number
of grid blocks.
Effect of grid on water
breakthrough
timenumerical dispersion

Numerical Dispersion Error

If we take more grid blocks (Dx decreases), the we will locate the
front more accurately. Indeed, taking more and more blocks we will
gradually get closer to the analytical (correct) solution.

Effect of Grid Orietation

The distance
between wells I-P1
and I-P2 are the
same.
The flow between IP2 is more tortuous.
The I-P1 orientation
tends to lead to
somewhat earlier
breakthrough and a
less optimistic
recovery that the IP2 orientation.

Effect of Grid Orietation

Error

As for numerical dispersion, some grid refinement

can help to reduce the grid orientation effect.

The Effect of Vertical Grid Refinement of

Recovery in a Waterflood in a 2D CrossSectional Model

Extrapolation of Predicted Waterflood Recovery

Efficiency for 2D Stratified Model C Sand Base Case

The Effect of Vertical Grid Refinement of

Recovery in a MWAG Displacement in a 2D
Cross-Sectional Model

Extrapolation of Predicted MWAG Recovery Efficiency

for 2D Stratified Model C Sand Base Case

The Effect of Vertical Grid Refinement of

Recovery in a Gas flooding in a 2D CrossSectional Model

These results show that 200 layers are needed to fully

resolve the gas tongue at the top of the reservoir.
Clearly, if we just guesses that 5 vertical blocks would
be enough and did not check, then our calculation

Local Grid Refinement (LGR)

To represent regions with rapidly changing waterfront will

require a finer grid than will be required for relatively
stagnant regions of the system.
The application of some local grid refinement (LGR) may
be much more appropriate.

Hybrid Grid LGR

Hybrid grids are mixed geometry combinations grids

which are used to improve the modelling of flows in
different regions.
The most common use of hybrid grids are cartesian/radial

Distorted Grids and Corner Point

Geometry

Corner Point Geometry

Complex reservoir model constructed

using corner point geometry

Issues in Chossing a Reservoir

Simulation Grid
i. Grid Dimension: refers to whether we should
use a 1D, 2D or 3D grid structure.
ii. Grid Geometry/Structure: The next issue is
whether we should use a simple Cartesian
grid (x, y, z) or some other grid structure such
as radial, distorted grid. This choice aso
includes where local grid refinement is
appropriate.
iii. Grid Fineness/Coarseness: How many grid
blocks do we need to use? This asks whether
a few hundred or thousand is adequate or
whether we need 10s or 100s of thousands
for an adequate simulation calculation.

Issues in Chossing a Reservoir

Simulation Grid
A 2D x/z cross-sectional model may be used
to study the effect of vertical heterogeneity
(layering) for example on sweep efficiency
or water breakthrough time.
For a near well coning study: an r/z grid is
usually more appropriate since it more
closely resembles the geometry of the near
well radial flow.
For full field simulations: 3D grids are
generally used which in most models are
still probably Cartesian with varying grid
spacing in all three dimensions.

Well in Reservoir Simulation

Cartesian grid cut from a 3D freservoir modelshowing two

horizontal wells going through the system; two vertical wells also

Hierarchies of Well and Well

Controls
For a single well:
Set the well flowing pressure and calculate
the flows
Set the flows and calculate the well
flowing pressure

For a simple injector/producer pair:

At the injector: Fix the water injection rate
but with (upper) limits on the well flowing
pressure.
At the producer: Set the well flowing
pressure and allowing the calculation of

Estimation of Flow Rate Injected and

Produced
Since Bo > Bw, then the volumetric
production rate of oil (in stb/day) is lower than
the injected water rate (in stb/day).
What volume of injected water must we inject
to exactly replace the reservoir volume of oil
and waterphases?