Multiphase flow in heterogeneous porous media: A classical finite element method versus an implicit pressure–explicit saturation‐based mixed finite element–finite volume approach

Various discretization methods exist for the numerical simulation of multiphase flow in porous media. In this paper, two methods are introduced and analyzed—a full‐upwind Galerkin method which belongs to the classical finite element methods, and a mixed‐hybrid finite element method based on an implicit pressure–explicit saturation (IMPES) approach. Both methods are derived from the governing equations of two‐phase flow. Their discretization concepts are compared in detail. Their efficiency is discussed using several examples. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.