Upscaling Tutorial

Gillian E. Pickup
May 2012
Purpose
Ideally, upscaling tutorial should be part of
the Res Sim tutorials
But,
there is little time
PE students do not know how to use Petrel
However
many students ask about upscaling during the
FDP or IP, so some training required
Outline
Quick reminder of upscaling methods
single-phase
When to Upscale
Upscaling in Petrel
Exercises
Outline
Quick reminder of upscaling methods
single-phase
When to Upscale
Upscaling in Petrel
Exercises
Flow Parallel to Uniform Layers
Use the arithmetic average,




Ax

P1 P2
k
i
, t
i

Q
i

=
=

= =

n
i i
i 1
eff a
n
i
i 1
t k
k k
t
Flow Across Uniform Layers
Use the harmonic average,




Ax

Q
k
i
, t
i

AP
i

=
=

= =

n
i
i 1
eff h
n
i
i 1 i
t
k k
t
k
Flow through Correlated Random
Fields

Use the geometric average,
assumes perm in each cell is different

correlation length
=
| |

|
|
=
|
|
\ .
n
i
i 1
g
ln(k )
k exp
n
Summary of Averaging Methods
Flow along parallel layers
Arithmetic average
Flow across parallel layers
Harmonic average
Flow through a random model
Geometric average

Can apply these averages to models which are
approximately layered, or random
Numerical Methods
Usually permeability distribution will not be so simple
Need to use numerical methods
Assume incompressible rock and fluids
Also, assume steady-state linear flow
Boundary Conditions
We need to specify the pressure or flows at the edge
of the model
i.e. boundary conditions
The resulting pressure distribution will depend on the
boundary conditions
Boundary Conditions
a) Constant Pressure, or No-flow boundary conditions








Most common type of boundary conditions
Use when there is little cross-flow


















P1 P2
- - - - no flow through the sides - - - -
- - - - no flow through the sides - - - -
Effective Permeability Calculation








































Pressure = P1
on left face
Pressure= P2
on right face

L
Area, A
Flow Rate, Q

x
y
z
Effective Permeability Calculation








P1 P2

L
A
Q

x
y
z
1. Solve equations to give pressures, P
ij
for each block
2. Calculate inter-block flows in x-dir, using Darcys Law
3. Calculate total flow, Q, by summing individual flows
between any 2 planes.
4. Calculate k
eff
using the equation:




5. Repeat for y-dir and z-dir.
( )

eff,x
k A P1 P2
Q
L

c) Linear pressure BCs







similar to fixed pressure boundaries, but
pressure gradient is linear along the sides
k
eff
from linear BCs > k
eff
from Periodic BCs > k
eff

from No-Flow BCs
















P1 P2



P1 P2



P1 P2

d) Flow jacket, or skin









can be used to avoid the effects of boundary
conditions
















k
eff
calculated for
this block
boundary conditions applied
to outer edges of model
Awkward Cases
Cases with large permeability contrasts
May get large errors
Low perm shales in a high perm sandstone
High perm channels in a low net/gross region
High perm fractures in a low perm region
Low perm faults in a high perm region
Summary of Single-Phase Flow
Can use averaging for simple models
For more complex models use numerical simulation
various boundary conditions
What about Two-Phase Flow?
We often have two-phase flow
water flood
gas flood
Heterogeneity affects the flood front
Two opposing effects occur when upscaling
loss of physical dispersion due to permeability
homogenisation
increase of numerical dispersion due to larger grid size
Should upscale for two-phase flow
pseudo rel perms
Heterogeneous Permeability
Distribution
PERMX
Oil Saturation
Soil
What about Two-Phase Flow?
Schlumberger no longer supports the Pseudo
Package
Kyte and Berry etc
difficult to apply
not robust
Most people just use single phase upscaling
but this can give wrong answers
Smart single-phase upscaling helps
see notes for details
Outline
Quick reminder of upscaling methods
single-phase
When to Upscale
Upscaling in Petrel
Exercises
When to Upscale?
First, what size of cells will you use in
your model?
What factors should you consider?
When to Upscale?
First, what size of cells will you use in
your model?
What factors should you consider?
what is required for decision to be made?
how soon do you need the results?
how much data is available?
what is the large-scale geological structure
Some Factors to Consider
What is required for the decision being made?
when are the results required?
How much data is there?
What is the large-scale geological structure?
make sure large-scale connectivity is adequately
represented
Some Factors to Consider
Are small-scale structures likely to have an
effect?
strong Pc contrasts?
connectivity of small-scale heterogeneities?
What is the recovery process?
miscible processes may require finer grid

When to Upscale?
Conventional approach developed during
1990s
make detailed geological models (10
6
cells)
upscale (1-phase) for simulation
then history-match model
Is this a good idea?
Alternative Approach
Start with a coarse model
test range of models for history-matching
constrain major uncertainties
refine model later
as more data obtained
if necessary
Do we still need upscaling?
Problems with Coarse Models
Miss out fine-scale detail
under-estimate physical dispersion
ignore interaction between heterogeneity and
two-phase flow
capillary and gravity forces
Numerical errors
numerical dispersion
What Should You Do?
Consider each model individually
what decision are you trying to make?
level of detail required?
how much data is available?
Remember you are dealing with a model
always has limitations
Outline
Quick reminder of upscaling methods
single-phase
When to Upscale
Upscaling in Petrel
Exercises
Upscaling Permeability in Petrel
Simple averaging methods
arithmetic, harmonic, geometric
Numerical methods
different boundary conditions
open and closed
diagonal tensors or full tensors

xx xy xz
yx yy yz
zx zy zz
k k k
k k k
k k k
(
(
(
(
(

( )
x y z
k k k
Upscaling in Petrel
Upscales other properties
porosity
water saturation
N/G
weighted arithmetic average
Also upscales well logs
with simple averages

Outline
Quick reminder of upscaling methods
single-phase
When to Upscale
Upscaling in Petrel
Exercises
Exercises
Tutorial explained in notes
easy stages
2D horizontal stochastic model
2D vertical layered model
Files in T:\Res Sim\Petrel Upscaling Tutorial
Model A Results
Fine sigma = 2, lamda = 40 m
Model A Results
Coarse, upscaled by 20 x 20
Model A Results
In this case upscaling did not make
much difference!
fine
coarse
Watercut
Model B Results
The layering affects the vertical sweep
through the model
Model B Results
The layering can be preserved using
non-uniform upscaling
each colour represents one layer
Model B Results
The coarse model with the zones
preserved give better recovery
upsx10
upsx6
fine, zones
Cumulative Oil Production