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Journals
Processes
Special Issues
Flow Mechanisms and Enhanced Oil Recovery
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Flow Mechanisms and Enhanced Oil Recovery

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2025 | Viewed by 3782

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lei Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
Interests: gas flooding; CCUS; chemical flooding; shale oil/tight oil recovery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Hailong Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
Interests: EOR; CCUS; chemical flooding; heavy oil
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Long Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
Interests: gas flooding; chemical flooding; heavy oil/shale oil/tight oil recovery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is a key focus in petroleum engineering and energy production as global demand for hydrocarbon resources grows. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms of oil and gas flow through porous media, combined with advanced techniques to optimize recovery, is essential for efficiently developing oil and gas reservoirs. The complexities of multiphase flow, reservoir heterogeneity, and the interaction between injected fluids and formation rocks require detailed investigation, modeling, and innovative approaches.

This Special Issue on "Flow Mechanisms and Enhanced Oil Recovery" aims to gather novel research contributions that delve into the physical mechanisms of oil and gas flow in reservoirs and new methods to increase hydrocarbon recovery. We encourage submissions that explore the influence of reservoir properties, fluid behavior under different conditions, and the development of advanced simulation tools to model these processes. Contributions addressing innovative EOR techniques, such as gas flooding, chemical injection, and water-alternating-gas (WAG), and their impact on recovery efficiency are highly welcomed.

The Special Issue will highlight experimental and numerical studies, focusing on optimizing recovery methods and understanding the intricate flow dynamics in complex reservoir environments. Authors are invited to share their work on the characterization of reservoir systems, designing and implementing EOR strategies, and integrating state-of-the-art technologies in field applications. Modeling and simulation of fluid dynamics and EOR processes will also play a central role in this issue, offering valuable insights into optimizing field operations.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Multiphase flow mechanisms in porous media;
  • Enhanced oil recovery techniques (gas injection, chemical flooding, and thermal methods);
  • Reservoir heterogeneity and its influence on flow and recovery;
  • Simulation and modeling of oil and gas flow in complex reservoirs;
  • Water-alternating-gas (WAG) and its optimization;
  • Field applications and case studies of successful EOR implementation;
  • Interaction between fluids and formation rocks under EOR processes.

We invite researchers from academia and industry to contribute their original research articles, reviews, and short communications to this Special Issue. Your participation will provide valuable contributions to the global understanding of flow mechanisms and strategies to enhance oil recovery, fostering innovation in this critical area of energy production.

Dr. Lei Li
Dr. Hailong Zhao
Dr. Long Xu
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

  • oil and gas flow mechanisms
  • enhanced oil recovery (EOR)
  • multiphase flow
  • reservoir simulation
  • water-alternating-gas (WAG)
  • gas injection
  • chemical flooding
  • porous media

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 18767 KiB  
Article
Reservoir Architecture of Turbidite Lobes and Remaining Oil Distribution: A Study on the B Formation for Z Oilfield of the Illizi Basin, Algeria
by Changhai Li, Weiqiang Li, Huimin Ye, Qiang Zhu, Xuejun Shan, Shengli Wang, Deyong Wang, Ziyu Zhang, Hongping Wang, Xianjie Zhou and Zhaofeng Zhu
Processes 2025, 13(3), 805; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13030805 - 10 Mar 2025
Viewed by 463
Abstract
The turbidite lobe is a significant reservoir type formed by gravity flow. Analyzing the architecture of this reservoir holds great importance for deep-water oil and gas development. The main producing zone in Z Oilfield develops a set of turbidite lobes. After more than [...] Read more.
The turbidite lobe is a significant reservoir type formed by gravity flow. Analyzing the architecture of this reservoir holds great importance for deep-water oil and gas development. The main producing zone in Z Oilfield develops a set of turbidite lobes. After more than 60 years of development, the well spacing has become dense, providing favorable conditions for detailed research on reservoir architecture of this kind. Based on seismic data, core data, and logging data, combined with the results of reservoir numerical simulation, this paper studies the reservoir architecture of turbidite lobes, displays the distribution of remaining oil in the turbidite lobes, and proposes development policies suitable for turbidite lobe reservoirs. The results show that the turbidite lobes can be classified into four sedimentary microfacies: lobe off-axis, lobe fringe, interlobe facies, and feeder channel facies. The study area is mainly characterized by multiple sets of lobes. There are feeder channels running through the south to the north. Due to the imperfect well pattern, the remaining oil is concentrated near the lobe fringe facies and the gas–oil contact. It is recommended to tap the potential of the turbidite lobes by adopting the “production at the off-axis lobes facies and injection at the lobe fringe facies (POIF)”. The study on the reservoir architecture and remaining oil of turbidite lobes has crucial guiding significance for the efficient development of Z Oilfield and can also provide some reference for developing deep-water oilfields with similar sedimentary backgrounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flow Mechanisms and Enhanced Oil Recovery)
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20 pages, 3150 KiB  
Article
Effect of Reservoir Transformation on Fracture Expansion in Deep Coalbed Methane Reservoirs and Mechanism Analysis
by Jun Liu, Qinghua Zhang and Yanyang Fan
Processes 2025, 13(2), 493; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13020493 - 10 Feb 2025
Viewed by 550
Abstract
This paper proposed a fracture propagation model of water-based fracturing based on seepage–stress–damage coupling, which was employed to analyse the effects of different water-based fracturing fluid properties and rock parameters on the propagation behaviour of reservoir fractures in low-permeability reservoirs. Concurrently, molecular dynamics [...] Read more.
This paper proposed a fracture propagation model of water-based fracturing based on seepage–stress–damage coupling, which was employed to analyse the effects of different water-based fracturing fluid properties and rock parameters on the propagation behaviour of reservoir fractures in low-permeability reservoirs. Concurrently, molecular dynamics theory and mechanical analysis of reservoir fractures were employed to elucidate the microscopic mechanism of water-based fracturing on fracture propagation. The results showed that the apparent viscosity of water-based fracturing fluid primarily contributed to elevated fracture internal pressures through the seepage reduction in water-based fracturing fluid at the coal fracture surface. A substantial impact on the minimum fracturing pressure of coal fractures that rapidly pierce the coal rock and an increasing crack extension was notably presented by the low filtration and high viscosity of water-based fracturing fluids. Furthermore, the reservoir pressure and the crack turning angle were not conducive to the effective expansion of coal seam fractures, whereas the reservoir temperature exhibited a positive proportional relationship with deep coal seam fractures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flow Mechanisms and Enhanced Oil Recovery)
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18 pages, 7669 KiB  
Article
The Crack Propagation Behaviour of CO2 Fracturing Fluid in Unconventional Low Permeability Reservoirs: Factor Analysis and Mechanism Revelation
by Qiang Li, Qingchao Li, Hongqi Cao, Jingjuan Wu, Fuling Wang and Yanling Wang
Processes 2025, 13(1), 159; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13010159 - 8 Jan 2025
Cited by 51 | Viewed by 966
Abstract
To circumvent the numerous deficiencies inherent to water-based fracturing fluids and the associated greenhouse effect, CO2 fracturing fluids are employed as a novel reservoir working fluid for reservoir reconstruction in unconventional oil fields. Herein, a mathematical model of CO2 fracturing crack [...] Read more.
To circumvent the numerous deficiencies inherent to water-based fracturing fluids and the associated greenhouse effect, CO2 fracturing fluids are employed as a novel reservoir working fluid for reservoir reconstruction in unconventional oil fields. Herein, a mathematical model of CO2 fracturing crack propagation based on seepage–stress–damage coupling was constructed for analysing the effects of different drilling fluid components and reservoir parameters on the crack propagation behaviour of low permeability reservoirs. Additionally, the fracture expansion mechanism of CO2 fracturing fluid on low permeability reservoirs was elucidated through mechanical and chemical analysis. The findings demonstrated that CO2 fracturing fluid can effectively facilitate the expansion of cracks in low-permeability reservoirs, and thickener content, reservoir pressure, and reservoir parameters were identified as influencing factors in the expansion of reservoir cracks and the evolution of rock damage. The 5% CO2 thickener can increase the apparent viscosity and fracture length of CO2 fracturing fluid to 5.12 mPa·s and 58 m, respectively, which are significantly higher than the fluid viscosity (0.04 mPa·s) and expansion capacity (13 m) of pure CO2 fracturing fluid. Furthermore, various other factors significantly influence the fracture expansion capacity of CO2 fracturing fluid, thereby offering technical support for fracture propagation in low-permeability reservoirs and enhancing oil recovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flow Mechanisms and Enhanced Oil Recovery)
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20 pages, 6646 KiB  
Article
The Numerical Simulation Study on the Heat Transfer Mechanism in Heavy Oil Reservoirs During In-Situ Combustion
by Jiuzhi Sun, Bo Wang, Yunjie Shu, Yanchao Wang, Yi Pan and Chao Tian
Processes 2025, 13(1), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13010056 - 30 Dec 2024
Viewed by 648
Abstract
The escalating energy demand has prompted nations to prioritize the development of high-viscosity and challenging-to-extract heavy and extra-heavy oil reserves. Consequently, the technique of in-situ combustion in oil reservoirs by injecting air to ignite heavy oil resources, leveraging the generated heat to enhance [...] Read more.
The escalating energy demand has prompted nations to prioritize the development of high-viscosity and challenging-to-extract heavy and extra-heavy oil reserves. Consequently, the technique of in-situ combustion in oil reservoirs by injecting air to ignite heavy oil resources, leveraging the generated heat to enhance recovery rates, is a particularly critical extraction method. However, simulation studies of in-situ combustion techniques are still primarily conducted at a macroscopic level. Therefore, conducting more detailed numerical simulation studies holds significant importance. This paper establishes a mathematical model for heat transfer within reservoirs during in-situ combustion, thoroughly investigating the effects of inlet temperature, injection pressure, injection duration, and porosity on the heat transfer processes inside the reservoir. The research demonstrates that the reservoir’s internal temperature gradually rises as the injection duration increases. Additionally, porosity (an increase from 0.1 to 0.3 enhances the heat propagation rate by 15%) and injection pressure (an increase from 5 MPa to 8 MPa boosts the heat propagation rate by 25%) significantly affect the heat transfer rate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flow Mechanisms and Enhanced Oil Recovery)
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19 pages, 10067 KiB  
Article
Research on Composite 3D Well Pattern for Blocky Heavy Oil in Offshore Areas: Transition from Huff-and-Puff to Displacement-Drainage
by Zhigang Geng, Gongchang Wang, Wenqian Zheng, Chunxiao Du, Taotao Ge, Cong Tian and Dawei Wang
Processes 2024, 12(12), 2884; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12122884 - 17 Dec 2024
Viewed by 764
Abstract
In view of the deep burial depth, high formation pressure, and presence of top and bottom water in offshore extra-heavy-oil reservoirs, this paper conducts a study on the production performance and flow field variation law of steam huff-and-puff to steam flooding conversion in [...] Read more.
In view of the deep burial depth, high formation pressure, and presence of top and bottom water in offshore extra-heavy-oil reservoirs, this paper conducts a study on the production performance and flow field variation law of steam huff-and-puff to steam flooding conversion in thick heavy-oil reservoirs based on physical simulation, and analyzes the development effect of the conversion from steam huff-and-puff to steam flooding. On this basis, by comprehensively considering the advantages of gravity-assisted steam flooding and a three-dimensional HHSD well pattern obtained from physical simulation experiments, this paper proposes a well pattern development mode of steam huff-and-puff to composite displacement and drainage, and analyzes the development effect of this well pattern mode using the reservoir numerical simulation method. The research results show that, compared with the planar well pattern of steam huff-and-puff to steam flooding conversion, the adoption of the three-dimensional well pattern can significantly improve the degree of reservoir production and the expansion dynamics of the steam chamber, and mitigate adverse effects such as the increase in water cut caused by top and bottom water on thermal recovery. The composite development of steam huff-and-puff to composite displacement and drainage can be divided into three stages: thermal communication, gravity drainage-assisted steam flooding, and thermal breakthrough erosion and oil washing. The steam chamber presents a development mode of “single-point development–rapid longitudinal expansion–rapid transverse expansion upon reaching the top–polymerization into a sheet”, and simultaneously possesses the oil displacement mechanisms of both steam displacement and gravity drainage. The proposed composite mode of steam huff-and-puff to composite displacement and drainage has guided the implementation of adjustment wells in the Bohai L Oilfield, and the recovery factor has been increased by about 20% compared with the steam huff-and-puff development of the basic well pattern. This study has reference and guiding significance for the efficient thermal recovery development of this oilfield. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flow Mechanisms and Enhanced Oil Recovery)
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