SIG4042 Reservoir Simulation 2003

Hand-out note 9

page 1 of 10

THREE PHASE FLOW

Adding water to the previous oil-gas equations for a one-dimensional, horizontal system, we have the following
three continuity equations:
-

( r u ) = (fr oLSo )
x oL o
t

r u + r oGuo =
f r g Sg + r oG So
x g g
t

( r wuw ) = (fr wSw )

x
t

[(

)]

and the corresponding Darcy equations for a horizontal system:

uo = -

ug = -

uw = -

k kr o Po
mo x
k kr g Pg

mg x

k krw Pw
,
mw x

where
Pcog = Pg - Po
Pcow = Po - Pw

So + S g + S w = 1 .

Standard Black Oil PVT properties are as previously defined:

ro =

r o S + r g SRs o r o S r g SRs o
=
+
= roL + r oG
Bo
Bo
Bo

rg =

rg S
Bg

rw =

rw S
Bw

Undersaturated systems
We define an undersaturated system, as before, by:
Po > Pb p
and
So = 0.
which implies that

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Professor Jon Kleppe

28.2.03

SIG4042 Reservoir Simulation 2003

Hand-out note 9

Bo = f Po , Pb p

page 2 of 10

and

( )

Rs o = f Pb p .
The flow equations become:

k kr o Po
f
- qo =
x mo Bo x
t Bo
and

k k Po

fS
Rs o r o
- qg - Rs oqo = Rs o o ,

x
mo Bo x
t
Bo
and

k krw Pw
fS
- qw = w .

x mBw x
t Bw
Relative permeabilities and capillary pressures
For an undersaturated system, these relationships are just as for the oil-water system described before. Thus, the
drainage and imbibition curves are typically as follows:
Drainage curves
Kr

Pcow
oil
water
Pcd
Sw
1.0

Swir

Swir

1.0

Sw

Imbibition curves
Kr

Pcow
oil
water

Swir

1-Sor

Sw

Swir

1-Sor

Sw

Again, the above curves apply to a completely water-wet system. For less water-wet systems, the capillary
pressure curve will have a negative part at high water saturation. The shape of the curves will depend on rock and
wetting characteristics.

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Professor Jon Kleppe

28.2.03

SIG4042 Reservoir Simulation 2003

Hand-out note 9

page 3 of 10

Boundary conditions
The boundary conditions for undersaturated oil-gas-water systems are similar to the boundary conditions for
undersaturated oil-gas systems. In addition to injection of gas, we may also inject water. Production wells need
to account for production of water in addition to oil and solution gas. The appropriate well equations for water
and oil production are identical to the ones presented in the oil-water section.
Discrete equations
Developing the discrete equations along the same principles and using similar assumptions as in the previous
cases, using Po , Pbp and S w as the primary variables, we get:
T xoi +1 2 ( Poi+1 - Poi ) + T xoi-1 2 ( Poi -1 - Poi ) - q oi
= C pooi Poi - Poit + C bpoi P bpi - P bpti + C swoi Sw i - Swit ,

i = 1, N

= C pogi Poi - Poit + C bpgi P bpi - P bpti + C swgi Sw i - Sw ti ,

i = 1, N

( Rs oTxo)i +1 2 ( Poi+1 - Poi ) + ( Rs oTxo)i -1 2 ( Poi-1 - Poi ) - ( Rs oqo ) i - qgi

Txwi+1 2 ( Poi +1 - Poi ) - ( Pcowi +1 - Pcowi ) + Txwi -1 2 ( Poi -1 - Poi ) - (P cowi -1 - Pcowi ) - q wi

= C powi Poi - Poti + C bpwi P bpi - P bpit + C swwi Swi - Sw it ,

i = 1,N

where
T xoi +1 2 =

lo =

2 l oi +1 2
Dx i +1 Dxi
Dx i
+
ki
k i+1

kr o
mo Bo

l oi +1 if Poi +1 Poi
l oi +1/ 2 =
lo i if P oi +1 < Poi
Rs oi +1 if Poi+1 Poi
Rs oi +1/ 2 =
R s oi if Poi +1 < Poi
etc.
and
C pooi =

fi (1- Sw i ) cr (1/ Bo )
B + P
Dt
o
i
o

C bpoi =

fi (1- Sw i ) (1/ Bo )

Dt
Pb p

C swoi = -

C pogi =

fi
BoiDt

( Rs of )i (1 - Swi ) cr
Dt

B +
o

(1/ Bo )
Po i

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Professor Jon Kleppe

28.2.03

SIG4042 Reservoir Simulation 2003

Hand-out note 9

C bpgi =

fi (1- Sw i )
(1/ Bo ) 1 dRs o
+
Rs o

Dt
Pb p
Bo dPb p

C swgi = -

C powi =

page 4 of 10

f i Rs oi
BoiDt

f iSw i
Dt

c r (1/ Bw )
B + P
w
i
w

Cbpwi = 0

C swwi =

fi
f Sw c
d(1/ Bw ) dP cow
- i i r +
BwiDt
Dt Bw
dPw i dSw i

The derivative terms to be computed numerically for each time step based on the input table to the model, now
are:
(1/ Bo ) (1/ Bo )
P , P

i
o
bp i

d(1/ Bw ) dRs o
dP
,
,
and cow

dPw i dPb p i
dSw i

IMPES solution
For an IMPES solution of this system of equations, assumptions equivalent to the ones made in the previous
cases are made, namely
T xot , Txwt
Rs ot , Pcowit
C poot , Cp o gt ,C powt
C bpot , Cb p gt ,C bpgt
C swot , C swgt , C swwt
resulting in the following pressure equation

[T
[T

]
](P

t
xoi +1/ 2

+ a i ( Rs oTxo ) i+1 / 2 + b i Txwit+1/ 2 ( Poi +1 - Poi ) +

t
xoi -1/ 2

+ a i ( Rs oTxo ) i-1 / 2 + b i Txwit-1/ 2

oi-1

- Poi )

-b i Txwit+1/ 2 ( Pcowi+1 - Pcowi ) - b iTxwti -1/ 2 ( Pcowi -1 - Pcowi )

) i - bi qwi =
(C pooti + a iC pogit + biC powti )( Poi - Poit ),

- qoi
- a i qg + Rs ot qo

i = 1, N

where

a i = -Cb p oti / C bpgit

bi =

Cswoit CswgitC bpoti

-1 .
C swwti CswoitC bpgti

Rewriting the pressure equation on the familiar form

Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Professor Jon Kleppe

28.2.03

SIG4042 Reservoir Simulation 2003

Hand-out note 9

page 5 of 10

a i Po i -1 + bi Po i + c i Po i +1 = d i ,

i = 1, N

we may solve for oil pressure by, for instance, as before, Gaussian elimination. Then, having obtained the oil
pressures, we may combine the equations above to solve for bubble point pressures and water saturations. If the
water equation are used for water saturation, since bubble point pressure does not enter this equation, and the oil
equation for the bubble point pressures, we get the following explicit expressions:
Sw i = Sw it +

1
Cswwit

- qwi
- Cpowit Poi - Poit
P bpi = P bpit +

1
Cb p oti

Txwit+1/ 2 ( Poi+1 - Poi ) - ( Pcowi+1 - Pc o wi ) + Txwit-1/ 2 ( Poi -1 - Poi ) - ( Pcowi -1 - Pcowi )

) ],

i = 1, N

T xoit+1/ 2 ( Poi +1 - Poi ) + T xoti-1 / 2 ( Poi -1 - Poi ) - qoi

- C pooit Poi - Poit - C swoi Sw i - Sw it

) ],

i = 1, N

Saturated systems
We define a saturated system by:
Po = Pb p
and
So 0.
and thus
Bo = f (Po )
Rs o = f (Po )
The flow equations become:

k kr o Po
fS
- qo = o

x mo Bo x
t Bo
and

k kr g Pg
k k P
f Sg
fS
+ Rs o r o o - qg - Rs oq o =
+ Rs o o ,

x m g Bg x
mo Bo x
t Bg
Bo
and

k krw Pw
fS
- qw = w
x mw Bw x
t Bw
Three phase relative permeabilities and capillary pressures
Since we now have three phases flowing, we need to define the relative permeabilities and capillary pressures
anew. Although the following functional relationship not always are valid in practice, we will here use the
conventional definitions for a completely water wet system with no contact between gas and water phases. Thus,
the parameters below are functions only of the variables indicated:
k rw(Sw )
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Professor Jon Kleppe

28.2.03

SIG4042 Reservoir Simulation 2003

Hand-out note 9

page 6 of 10

k rg ( S g )
k ro ( S w , S g )
Pcow ( S w )

Pcog ( S g )

Using curves for imbibition oil-water processes and drainage gas-oil processes, typical relationships are as
follows:
Kr

Pcow
oil
water

Swir

1-Sorw

Sw

Swir

Sw

1-Sorw

Pcog

Kr
gas
oil

Pdog
Sorg

1-Sgc

So

1.0

Sorg

So

However, the two oil relative permeability curves above are two phase curves. As indicated, the three phase oil
relative permeability would be a function of both water and gas saturations. Plotting it in a ternary diagram, so
that each saturation is represented by one of the sides, we can define an area of mobile oil limited by the
system's maximum and minimum saturations (which not necessarily are constants). Inside this area, iso - k r o
curves may be drawn, as illustrated below:
100% gas
minimum liquid
saturation under
gas displacement

Sor

0.1
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8

100% water

100% oil
minimum oil plus
gas saturation under
water displacement

Swir

However, due to the experimental difficulties of measuring three phase k r o , we most of the time construct it
from two phase oil-water k row and two phase oil-gas k rog. The simplest approach is to just multiply the to
k r o = krogkrog .
However, since some of the limiting saturations in three phase flow not necessarily are the same as for two phase
flow, this model is not representative. For instance, the minimum oil saturation, So r , for three phase flow is
process dependent and a very difficult parameter to estimate.
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Professor Jon Kleppe

28.2.03

SIG4042 Reservoir Simulation 2003

Hand-out note 9

page 7 of 10

The so-called Stone-models are simple, but have been the most commonly used models, although a variety of
models exist. For the purpose of illustration, we will describe Stone's model 1 and model 2. For Stone's model
1, we define normalized saturations as
So - So r
1- Swir - So r
Sw - Swir
SwD =
1- Swir - So r
Sg
SgD =
1- Swir - So r
SoD =

Then we define the functions

bw =

k row
1- SwD

bg =

krog
.
1- SgD

The three phase oil relative permeability is defined as

k r o = SoDb w b g
Please note that the above formulas assume that end pont relative permeabilities are 1. If this is not the case, the
relative permeability formula must be modified accordingly.
Stone's model 2 does not require the estimation of So r , as it attempts to estimate it implicitly by its
formulation. The model simply is
k r o = (krog + k r g)(k row + krw ) - (krw + k r g) .
In this model, So r is defined by k r o becoming negative. The two models of Stone predict quite different k r o 's in
many cases, and one should be very careful in selecting which model to use in each situation. Several other
methods exist.
Boundary conditions
The boundary conditions for saturated oil-gas-water systems are similar to the boundary conditions for saturated
oil-gas systems, with the addition of water similarly to the procedures presented in the oil-water section. Thus,
we may have injection of gas and water, and production wells need to account for production of water in addition
to oil, solution gas and free gas. The appropriate well equations for water, gas and oil production are identical to
the ones presented in the oil-water, and int the saturated oil-gas sections.

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Professor Jon Kleppe

28.2.03

SIG4042 Reservoir Simulation 2003

Hand-out note 9

page 8 of 10

Discrete equations
Again, developing the discrete equations as before, but now using Po , Sg and Sw as the primary variables, we
get:
T xoi +1 2 ( Poi+1 - Poi ) + T xoi-1 2 ( Poi -1 - Poi ) - q oi

= C pooi Poi - Poit + C sgoi Sg i - Sgit + C swoi Sw i - Sw it ,

i = 1, N

i = 1, N

T xgi +1 2 ( Poi+1 - Poi ) + ( Pcogi +1 - Pcogi ) + T xgi-1 2 ( Poi -1 - Poi ) + ( Pcogi -1 - Pcogi ) - qgi

( Rs oTxo)i +1 2 ( Poi+1 - Poi ) + ( Rs oTxo)i -1 2 ( Poi-1 - Poi ) - ( Rs oqo ) i

= C pogi Poi - Poit + C sggi Sg i - Sgit + C swgi Sw i - Sw it ,

]
) + Cswwi (Swi - Swti ),

Txwi+1 2 ( Poi +1 - Poi ) - ( Pcowi +1 - Pcowi ) + T xoi -1 2 ( Poi-1 - P oi ) - ( Pcowi -1 - Pcowi ) - qwi

= C powi Poi -

Poti

+ C sgwi Sgi - Sg ti

i = 1, N

where, as before
T xoi +1 2 =

lo =

2 l oi +1 2
Dx
Dx
Dx i i +1 + i
k
ki
i+1

kr o
mo Bo

l oi +1 if Poi +1 Poi
l oi +1/ 2 =
lo i if P oi +1 < Poi
Rs oi +1 if Poi+1 Poi
Rs oi +1/ 2 =
R s oi if Poi +1 < Poi
etc.
and
C pooi =

fi (1- Sw i - Sg i ) c r d(1/ Bo )
B + dP
Dt
o
i
o

C sgoi = -

fi
BoiDt

C swoi = -

fi
BoiDt

C pogi =

c
(1 - Swi - Sg i ) dRs o
f i c r d(1/ Bg )
d(1/ Bo )
Sgi
+
+
+ Rs oi (1- Sw i - Sgi ) r +

dP
Dt Bg
dPg
dPo i
Boi
Bo
o i
i

C sggi =

fi 1 Rs o

Dt Bg
Bo

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Professor Jon Kleppe

28.2.03

SIG4042 Reservoir Simulation 2003

Hand-out note 9
C swgi = -

C powi =

page 9 of 10

f i Rs oi
BoiDt

f iSw i
Dt

c r (1/ Bw )
B + P
w
i
w

C sgwi = 0
C swwi =

fi
f Sw c
d(1/ Bw ) dP cow
- i i r +
BwiDt
Dt Bw
dPw i dSw i

The derivative terms to be computed numerically for each time step based on the input table to the model, now
are:
d(1/ Bo )
dP

i
o

d(1/ Bg )
,

dPg i

d(1/ Bw )
,

dPw i

dR
, so
dPo i

dPcog
dP
,
and cow
dSw i
dSg i

IMPES solution
We again assume that all the coefficients are at old time level:
T xot , T xgt , Txwt
Rs ot , Pcogit , Pcowti
C poot , Cp o gt ,C powt
C sgot , C sggt , Csgwt
C swot , C swgt , C swwt
resulting in the following pressure equation
t

T xot
+ a i T xg + Rs oTxo
i+1 / 2

)i +1/ 2 + biTxwti +1/ 2 (Poi +1 - Poi ) +

T xot
+ a i T xg + Rs oTxo
i-1 / 2

)i -1/ 2 + biTxwti -1/ 2 (Poi -1 - Poi )

(
(

+ a iT xgti+1 / 2 ( Pcogi +1 - Pcogi ) + a i Txgit-1/ 2 ( Pcogi -1 - Pcogi )

t

-b i Txwit+1/ 2 ( Pcowi+1 - Pcowi ) - b iTxwti -1/ 2 ( Pcowi -1 - Pcowi )

) i - bi qwi =
(C pooti + a iC pogit + biC powti )( Poi - Poit ),

- qoi
- a i qg + Rs ot qo

i = 1, N

where

a i = -Csgo it / Csgg it

bi =

Cswoit CswgitC sgoti

t
t
t -1 .
C swwi Cswoi C sggi

Again rewriting the pressure equation on the familiar form

a i Po i -1 + bi Po i + c i Po i +1 = d i ,

i = 1, N

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

Professor Jon Kleppe

28.2.03

SIG4042 Reservoir Simulation 2003

Hand-out note 9

page 10 of 10

we may solve for oil pressure using Gaussian elimination or some other method. Then, by combining the
equations above, we obtain the following explicit expressions for the two saturations:
Sw i = Sw it +

1
Cswwit

- qwi
- Cpowit Poi - Poit
Sg i = Sg ti +

1
C sgoit

Txwit+1/ 2 ( Poi+1 - Poi ) - ( Pcowi+1 - Pc o wi ) + Txwit-1/ 2 ( Poi -1 - Poi ) - ( Pcowi -1 - Pcowi )

) ],

i = 1, N

Txoti +1/ 2 ( Poi+1 - P oi ) + T xoit-1/ 2 ( Poi -1 - Poi ) - qoi

- C pooit Poi - Poit - C swoti Sw i - Sw ti

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics

) ],

i = 1, N

Professor Jon Kleppe

28.2.03