Publications

Oil and Gas are located in porous media, which includes microscopic pores, and also fractures, which are usually much larger than the pores. The fracture network is generally complex and interconnected. After water flooding the reservoir, addition oil can be produced using polymer injection. Polymer is added to the injected water, increasing its viscosity and lowering the water-oil mobility ratio. This study used the Lattice Boltzmann Method to model fluid flow in two dimensions through a model of the rock fracture network. Surface roughness was varied systematically to assess the effect on effective permeability. The simulation results show that fracture surface roughness has a major effect on effective permeability. Increasing roughness surface increases shear stress relative to the surface, which increases viscosity and decreases effective permeability. Keywords: EOR, fracture networks, power-law, polymers, Lattice Boltzmann Method.