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Recent Advances in Hydrocarbon Production Processes from Geoenergy
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Recent Advances in Hydrocarbon Production Processes from Geoenergy

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 6671

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lufeng Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
SINOPEC Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: hydraulic fracturing; acidizing; numerical simulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Fengrui Sun

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Interests: coalbed methane reservoir; permeability; micro-fracture
Dr. Jie Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Petroleum Engineering, Yangtze University, Wuhan 430100, China
Interests: enhanced oil recovery; reservoir stimulation; natural gas hydrate
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, "Recent Advances in Hydrocarbon Production Processes from Geoenergy", aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest breakthroughs, technologies, and research findings in the field of hydrocarbon extraction from geological resources. This Special Issue also aims to capture the dynamic landscape of the energy industry, focusing on innovations that contribute to enhanced efficiency, sustainability, and environmental responsibility in hydrocarbon production.

  • Advanced enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques: exploration of cutting-edge methods such as chemical flooding, gas injection, and thermal recovery to optimize hydrocarbon extraction from existing reservoirs.
  • Innovative drilling technologies: research and development in extended-reach drilling, horizontal drilling, and smart well technologies aimed at accessing unconventional hydrocarbon resources with increased precision and efficiency.
  • Reservoir characterization and monitoring: advances in 3D seismic imaging, reservoir simulation, and real-time monitoring to improve reservoir understanding and management for optimal production outcomes.
  • Digitalization and data analytics: applications of digital technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning, in reservoir modeling, predictive maintenance, and overall process optimization.
  • Sustainable practices and renewable integration: exploration of strategies that integrate traditional hydrocarbon production with renewable energy sources, fostering sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of energy extraction.
  • Hydraulic fracturing innovations: investigation into novel hydraulic fracturing techniques, proppant technologies, and reservoir mapping methodologies, with a focus on enhancing efficiency and minimizing environmental impact.
  • Carbon capture, utilization, and storage: assessments of the latest developments in CCUS technologies as a means to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions associated with hydrocarbon production.

Dr. Lufeng Zhang
Dr. Fengrui Sun
Dr. Jie Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • hydrate
  • unconventional reservoir
  • hot dry rock
  • coalbed methane reservoir
  • EOR
  • geo-engineering
  • reservoir stimulation

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 2195 KiB  
Article
Experimental Study on the Acid Fracturing Fracture Propagation Law of a Fractured Carbonate Reservoir in the Majiagou Formation
by Yongchun Zhang, Jianchao Kuang, Hao Zhang, Ying Zhong and Shijie Dong
Processes 2025, 13(3), 695; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13030695 - 28 Feb 2025
Viewed by 417
Abstract
Acid fracturing is a crucial method for reservoir reconstruction in carbonate reservoirs, and the propagation pattern of acid-etched fractures plays a key role in determining the scope of reservoir enhancement and post-fracturing productivity. However, large-scale physical simulations directly using acid solutions in fracturing [...] Read more.
Acid fracturing is a crucial method for reservoir reconstruction in carbonate reservoirs, and the propagation pattern of acid-etched fractures plays a key role in determining the scope of reservoir enhancement and post-fracturing productivity. However, large-scale physical simulations directly using acid solutions in fracturing experiments are limited, and the fracture propagation patterns under acid fracturing remain unclear. To address this gap, in this study, we collected carbonate rock samples from the Majiagou Formation in the Daniudi area, preparing large-scale fracturing specimens with side lengths of 30 cm. The propagation of acid fracturing fractures was investigated using self-developed true-triaxial acid fracturing equipment. Based on post-fracturing fracture morphology and pressure curves, the effects of fracturing fluid type, injection rate, injection mode, and natural fractures (NFs) on acid fracturing fracture propagation were analyzed. The experimental results showed that the acid solution effectively weakens the mechanical properties of the open-hole section, creating multiple mechanical weak points and promoting the initiation of fractures. Pre-fracturing treatment with low-viscosity acid can significantly enhance fracture complexity near the wellbore and expand the near-well stimulation zone. Lowering the injection rate increases the acid solution’s filtration loss into natural fractures, weakening the cementation strength of these fractures and encouraging the formation of complex fracture networks. Furthermore, employing a multi-stage alternating injection of high-viscosity and low-viscosity acids can reduce fracture temperature and acid filtration loss while also enhancing differential etching through viscous fingering. This approach improves the conductivity and conductivity retention of the acid-etched fractures. The results of this study can provide a reference for the acid fracturing stimulation of fractured carbonate reservoirs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Hydrocarbon Production Processes from Geoenergy)
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26 pages, 15731 KiB  
Article
Experimental and CFD-Integrated Investigation into the Intricate Oil–Water Two-Phase Flow Dynamics Within Blind Tees: Uncovering Flow Behaviors for Advanced Process Engineering Applications
by Chen Cheng, Qingming Gan, Yubin Su, Yang Cheng and You Zhang
Processes 2025, 13(3), 619; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13030619 - 21 Feb 2025
Viewed by 534
Abstract
Blind tees are widely used in offshore oil systems. To enhance their rectification performance, an indoor experimental platform was established to study the flow field behavior within blind tees and bend pipes. Fluent2021 analyzed the significant effects of various structural parameters and operating [...] Read more.
Blind tees are widely used in offshore oil systems. To enhance their rectification performance, an indoor experimental platform was established to study the flow field behavior within blind tees and bend pipes. Fluent2021 analyzed the significant effects of various structural parameters and operating conditions on the oil–water rectification performance of blind tees. The study evaluates the device’s effectiveness by establishing a rectification coefficient S, investigating the impacts of blind end length, vertical pipe diameter, inlet flow velocity, and inlet oil content. Results indicate that internal vortices within the blind tee primarily cause disturbances leading to uniform distribution of oil–water phases. The size and intensity of the vortices determine the oil–water rectification efficiency of the blind tee. Blind tees of different lengths correspond to a specific velocity at which the blind end becomes filled with vortices, causing fluid stagnation. This velocity is defined as the blind end closure velocity. Avoiding this closure velocity, shorter blind ends, smaller vertical pipe diameters, and higher inlet velocities significantly enhance the oil–water flow straightening effectiveness. The rectification efficiency of the blind tee was improved by up to76.68% compared to the bend. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Hydrocarbon Production Processes from Geoenergy)
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15 pages, 4684 KiB  
Article
A Convolutional Neural Network-Based Method for Distinguishing the Flow Patterns of Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow in the Annulus
by Chen Cheng, Weixia Yang, Xiaoya Feng, Yarui Zhao and Yubin Su
Processes 2024, 12(11), 2596; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12112596 - 19 Nov 2024
Viewed by 778
Abstract
In order to improve the accuracy and efficiency of flow pattern recognition and to solve the problem of the real-time monitoring of flow patterns, which is difficult to achieve with traditional visual recognition methods, this study introduced a flow pattern recognition method based [...] Read more.
In order to improve the accuracy and efficiency of flow pattern recognition and to solve the problem of the real-time monitoring of flow patterns, which is difficult to achieve with traditional visual recognition methods, this study introduced a flow pattern recognition method based on a convolutional neural network (CNN), which can recognize the flow pattern under different pressure and flow conditions. Firstly, the complex gas–liquid distribution and its velocity field in the annulus were investigated using a computational fluid dynamics (CFDs) simulation, and the gas–liquid distribution and velocity vectors in the annulus were obtained to clarify the complexity of the flow patterns in the annulus. Subsequently, a sequence model containing three convolutional layers and two fully connected layers was developed, which employed a CNN architecture, and the model was compiled using the Adam optimizer and the sparse classification cross entropy as a loss function. A total of 450 images of different flow patterns were utilized for training, and the trained model recognized slug and annular flows with probabilities of 0.93 and 0.99, respectively, confirming the high accuracy of the model in recognizing annulus flow patterns, and providing an effective method for flow pattern recognition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Hydrocarbon Production Processes from Geoenergy)
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13 pages, 4510 KiB  
Article
Investigation into the Variation Law of Network Fracture Conductivity in Unconventional Oil and Gas Reservoirs
by Jianfa Ci, Lei Wang, Feiyang Xiong and Yanxin Zhao
Processes 2024, 12(9), 1803; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12091803 - 25 Aug 2024
Viewed by 970
Abstract
The network fracturing technique is a key technology for increasing effective reservoir volume and enhancing production in shale oil and gas. The fracture network’s conductivity is one of the crucial factors affecting the efficient development of shale gas. To evaluate the variation patterns [...] Read more.
The network fracturing technique is a key technology for increasing effective reservoir volume and enhancing production in shale oil and gas. The fracture network’s conductivity is one of the crucial factors affecting the efficient development of shale gas. To evaluate the variation patterns and influencing factors of the conductivity of network fractures, this study employed a proppant conductivity evaluation system and an equivalent theory testing method. It investigated the conductivity of propped and self-propped fractures under different angles and numbers of fractures. Experimental results showed that fractures with proppant support had higher conductivity than unsupported fractures. Smaller angles between secondary and main fractures resulted in greater conductivity. The conductivity of multi-fracture structures increased with the number of fractures. Under low-closure pressure conditions, self-propped fractures exhibited significantly higher conductivity than propped fractures, but this trend reversed under high closure pressure. This experimental research provides guidance for constructing network fractures with high conductivity in unconventional oil and gas reservoir fracturing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Hydrocarbon Production Processes from Geoenergy)
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18 pages, 7765 KiB  
Article
Study on Optimization of Stimulation Technology of Heterogeneous Porous Carbonate Reservoir
by Kangjia Zhao, Hualei Xu, Jie Wang, Houshun Jiang and Liangjun Zhang
Processes 2024, 12(6), 1191; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12061191 - 10 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 881
Abstract
Mishrif (M) reservoir of Faihaa (F) oilfield in Iraq is a heterogeneous porous carbonate reservoir. The reservoir properties of each reservoir unit differ greatly, and the distribution of porosity and permeability is non-uniform. Some reservoir units have the problem that the expected production [...] Read more.
Mishrif (M) reservoir of Faihaa (F) oilfield in Iraq is a heterogeneous porous carbonate reservoir. The reservoir properties of each reservoir unit differ greatly, and the distribution of porosity and permeability is non-uniform. Some reservoir units have the problem that the expected production cannot be achieved or the production decline rate is too fast after matrix acidification. This work optimized and compared the process of acid fracturing and hydraulic fracturing techniques. The Mishrif B (MB) and Mishrif C (MC) layers are selected as the target units for fracturing and the perforation intervals are optimized. The acid fracturing process adopted the acid fracturing technology of guar gum pad fluid and gelled acid multi-stage injection. According to the wellhead pressure limit and fracture propagation geometry, the pumping rate is optimized. The recommended maximum pumping rate of acid fracturing is 5.0 m3/min, and the optimized acid volume is 256.4 m3. The pressure changes during hydraulic fracturing and acid fracturing are different. It is recommended that the maximum hydraulic fracturing pump rate is 4.5 m3/min for MB and MC layers, and the amount of proppant in MB and MC layers is 37.5 m3 and 43.7 m3, respectively. The production prediction of two optimized processes is carried out. The results showed that the effect of acid fracturing in MB and MC layers is better than hydraulic fracturing, and it is recommended to adopt acid fracturing technology to stimulate MB and MC layers. Acid fracturing operation is carried out in the X-13 well, and better application results are achieved. The results of this study provide optimized reference ideas for reservoir stimulation in heterogeneous porous reservoirs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Hydrocarbon Production Processes from Geoenergy)
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19 pages, 7233 KiB  
Article
Simulation of Key Influencing Factors of Hydraulic Fracturing Fracture Propagation in a Shale Reservoir Based on the Displacement Discontinuity Method (DDM)
by Pengcheng Ma and Shanfa Tang
Processes 2024, 12(5), 1000; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12051000 - 15 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1202
Abstract
In the process of the large-scale hydraulic fracturing of a shale gas field in the Weiyuan area of Sichuan province, the quantitative description and evaluation of hydraulic fracture expansion morphology and the three-dimensional distribution law are the key points of evaluation of block [...] Read more.
In the process of the large-scale hydraulic fracturing of a shale gas field in the Weiyuan area of Sichuan province, the quantitative description and evaluation of hydraulic fracture expansion morphology and the three-dimensional distribution law are the key points of evaluation of block fracturing transformation effect. Many scholars have used the finite element method, discrete element method, grid-free method and other numerical simulation methods to quantitatively characterize hydraulic fractures, but there are often the problems that the indoor physical simulation results are much different from the actual results and the accuracy of most quantitative studies is poor. Considering rock mechanics parameters and based on the displacement discontinuity method (DDM), a single-stage multi-cluster fracture propagation model of horizontal well was established. The effects of Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, the in situ stress difference, the approximation angle, the perforation cluster number and the perforation spacing on the formation of complex fracture networks and on the geometrical parameters of hydraulic fractures were simulated. The research results can provide theoretical reference and practical guidance for the optimization of large-scale fracturing parameters and the quantitative post-fracturing evaluation of horizontal wells in unconventional reservoirs such as shale gas reservoirs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Hydrocarbon Production Processes from Geoenergy)
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15 pages, 10836 KiB  
Article
Further Investigation of CO2 Quasi-Dry Fracturing in Shale Reservoirs—An Experimental Study
by Bo Zheng, Weiyu Tang, Yong Wang, Yipeng Li, Binbin Shen, Yongkang Wang, Longqiao Hu, Yougen Deng, Mingjiang Wu, Shangyong Xi and Xiongfei Liu
Processes 2024, 12(5), 912; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12050912 - 29 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1160
Abstract
The physical properties of shale reservoirs are typically poor, necessitating the use of fracturing technology for effective development. However, the high clay content prevalent in shale formations poses significant challenges for conventional hydraulic fracturing methods. To address this issue, CO2-based fracturing [...] Read more.
The physical properties of shale reservoirs are typically poor, necessitating the use of fracturing technology for effective development. However, the high clay content prevalent in shale formations poses significant challenges for conventional hydraulic fracturing methods. To address this issue, CO2-based fracturing fluid has been proposed as an alternative to mitigate the damage caused by water-based fracturing fluids. In this paper, the applicability of quasi-dry CO2 fracturing in shale reservoirs is examined from three key perspectives: the viscosity of CO2 fracturing fluid, the fracture characteristics induced by the CO2 fracture fluid, and the potential reservoir damage caused by the fracturing fluid. Firstly, the viscosity of CO2 fracturing fluid was determined by a rheological experiment. Rheological tests revealed that the viscosity of CO2 fracturing fluid was significantly influenced by the water–carbon ratio. Specifically, when the water–carbon ratio was 30:70, the maximum viscosity observed could reach 104 mPa·s. Moreover, increasing reservoir temperature resulted in decreased fracturing fluid viscosity, with a 40 °C temperature rise causing a 20% viscosity reduction. Secondly, matrix permeability tests were conducted to investigate permeability alteration during CO2 fracturing fluid invasion. Due to the weak acidity of CO2-based fracturing fluid, the permeability reduction induced by clay hydration was inhibited, and an increase in permeability was observed after a 3-day duration. However, the matrix permeability tends to decrease as the interaction time is prolonged, which means prolonged soaking time can still cause formation damage. Finally, triaxial fracturing experiments facilitated by a three-axis servo pressure device were conducted. The fracture properties were characterized using computed tomography (CT), and 3D reconstruction of fractured samples was conducted based on the CT data. The results demonstrate that CO2 fracturing fluid effectively activates weak cementation surfaces in the rock, promoting the formation of larger and more complex fractures. Hence, CO2 quasi-dry fracturing technology emerges as a method with significant potential, capable of efficiently stimulating shale reservoirs, although a reasonable soaking time is necessary to maximize hydrocarbon production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Hydrocarbon Production Processes from Geoenergy)
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