Reservoir fluid flow through vertical fracture of thick stratum with underlying fluid interface

An exact solution is obtained for the problem of steady-state filtration of a heavy dense incompressible fluid in a thin, infinitely deep, inclined reservoir having a crack of given depth along the reservoir rise. The region of filtration of the lighter liquid (oil) has an impermeable upper boundary in the form of a horizontal fault line. Below the filtration region there is a free boundary, below which lies the region of stationary fluid (bottom water). The interface of the fluids, the fissure profile, and the reservoir fluid flow rate are determined from the solution of the problem on the basis of the given parameters (permeability of the reservoir and of the material filling the fissure, viscosity of the filtering fluid, specific weight of the upper and lower fluids, depth of the fissure, pressure differential between a point at the fissure and a point at the interface of the fluids). In the case when the thin reservoir is a vertical filtering layer, the considered flow is interpreted as the motion of the reservoir fluid through a vertical fissure of a thick reservoir (half-space) in the presence of an underlying fluid interface. The problem is solved in finite form with the aid of known analytic functions using integrals of the Cauchy type. The fundamental solution is first found of the special problem of flow with a point singularity. The fundamental solution is also of independent importance as an extension of the solution of certain known problems [1–4].     

Free surface asymptotics for thermocapillary flow at high marangoni numbers

Formal asymptotic expansions of the solution of the steady-state problem of incompressible flow in an unbounded region under the influence of a given temperature gradient along the free boundary are constructed for high Marangoni numbers. In the boundary layer near the free surface the flow satisfies a system of nonlinear equations for which in the neighborhood of the critical point self-similar solutions are found. Outside the boundary layer the slow flow approximately satisfies the equations of an inviscid fluid. A free surface equation, which when the temperature gradient vanishes determines the equilibrium free surface of the capillary fluid, is obtained. The surface of a gas bubble contiguous with a rigid wall and the shape of the capillary meniscus in the presence of nonuniform heating of the free boundary are calculated.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 61–67, May–June, 1989.     

Asymptotic solution of the euler equations in the shock layer on a blunt body in nonuniform flow with gas injection from the body surface

Supersonic nonuniform gas flow over blunt bodies without surface injection has previously been investigated by both numerical [1–3] and experimental [3] methods. The processes of surface vaporization under the influence of an intense heat flux, artificial gas injection and surface combustion [4] are all worthy of study. The problem of the interaction between a nonuniform supersonic flow and a body in the presence of intense gas injection from the surface is examined and an analytical solution is constructed.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 6, pp. 126–134, November–December, 1989.     

A method for calculating the two-dimensional temperature field of a reservoir with thermal injection

In [1–3] and other studies devoted to the determination of the temperature field of an oil reservoir when injecting into it a fluid with a temperature different from that of the initial reservoir temperature, the one-dimensional fluid flow (linear or radial) was considered in the case of an injection gallery or a single injection well in the reservoir. The problem was formulated in [4] with an arbitrary distribution of wells, but the solution was obtained only for the integral thermal-loss characteristic. To evaluate the coverage of the reservoir by the thermal effect, we must know the temperature distribution in the multi-well reservoir system at any instant of time. In this paper we propose a method for calculating the reservoir temperature field in the case of two-dimensional fluid flow using the simplifying assumptions which were used earlier by Lauwerier [1] and other authors to describe the thermal phenomena in a reservoir.     

Some problems in the theory of plane jets of conducting fluid

Using the boundary-layer equations as a basis, the author considers the propagation of plane jets of conducting fluid in a transverse magnetic field (noninductive approximation).The propagation of plane jets of conducting fluid is considered in several studies [1–12]. In the first few studies jet flow in a nonuniform magnetic field is considered; here the field strength distribution along the jet axis was chosen in order to obtain self-similar solutions. The solution to such a problem given a constant conductivity of the medium is given in [1–3] for a free jet and in [4] for a semibounded jet; reference [5] contains a solution to the problem of a free jet allowing for the dependence of conductivity on temperature. References [6–8] attempt an exact solution to the problem of jet propagation in any magnetic field. An approximate solution to problems of this type can be obtained by using the integral method. References [9–10] contain the solution obtained by this method for a free jet propagating in a uniform magnetic field.The last study [10] also gives a comparison of the exact solution obtained in [3] with the solution obtained by the integral method using as an example the propagation of a jet in a nonuniform magnetic field. It is shown that for scale values of the jet velocity and thickness the integral method yields almost-exact values. In this study [10], the propagation of a free jet is considered allowing for conduction anisotropy. The solution to the problem of a free jet within the asymptotic boundary layer is obtained in [1] by applying the expansion method to the small magnetic-interaction parameter. With this method, the problem of a turbulent jet is considered in terms of the Prandtl scheme. The Boussinesq formula for the turbulent-viscosity coefficient is used in [12].This study considers the dynamic and thermal problems involved with a laminar free and semibounded jet within the asymptotic boundary layer, propagating in a magnetic field with any distribution. A system of ordinary differential equations and the integral condition are obtained from the initial partial differential equations. The solution of the derived equations is illustrated by the example of jet propagation in a uniform magnetic field. A similar solution is obtained for a turbulent free jet with the turbulent-exchange coefficient defined by the Prandtl scheme.     

Numerical modeling of the process of oil displacement from reservoirs with zonal nonuniformity

In extracting oil from nonuniform reservoirs a considerable fraction remains unrecovered from the zones of lesser permeability. The mechanism of displacement of oil from reservoirs with zonal nonuniformity is investigated within the framework of the two-dimensional Muskat-Meres model of combined oil, water and gas flow [1]. A wholly conservative difference scheme implicit in the saturations and pressure is used for the calculations. Various reservoir exploitation regimes are considered with the object of seeking means of improving the characteristics of the process.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 177–180, September–October, 1987.     

Approximate solution to the problem of the interaction of a soft shell with a viscous incompressible fluid

The method of finite differences on a nonuniform mesh is used to study the nonstationary flow of a viscous incompressible fluid generated by traveling axisyiametric elastic waves along the surface of a soft cylindrical shell. Expressions are found for the fields of the velocities, vorticities, flow functions, and hydrodynamic forces acting on the body, and also the displacements and velocities of the points of the shell under the influence of the internal driving load and the external hydrodynamic pressure. The boundary conditions of contact between the fluid and the shell are satisfied on the deformed and nondeformed surfaces of the shell.Translated from Izvestiya Akadeinii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkostl i Gaza, No. 3, pp. 132–137, May–June, 1980.     

Self-similar problems of propagation of an extended hydrofracture in a permeable medium

The propagation of an extended hydrofracture in a permeable elastic medium under the influence of an injected viscous fluid is considered within the framework of the model proposed in [1, 2]. It is assumed that the motion of the fluid in the fracture is turbulent. The flow of the fluid in the porous medium is described by the filtration equation. In the quasisteady approximation and for locally one-dimensional leakage [3] new self-similarity solutions of the problem of the hydraulic fracture of a permeable reservoir with an exponential self-similar variable are obtained for plane and axial symmetry. The solution of this two-dimensional evolution problem is reduced to the integration of a one-dimensional integral equation. The asymptotic behavior of the solution near the well and the tip of the fracture is analyzed. The difficulties of using the quasisteady approximation for solving problems of the hydraulic fracture of permeable reservoirs are discussed. Other similarity solutions of the problem of the propagation of plane hydrofractures in the locally one-dimensional leakage approximation were considered in [3, 4] and for leakage constant along the surface of the fracture in [5–7].Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No.2, pp. 91–101, March–April, 1992.     

Flow past a sphere of two co-axial supersonic streams

We investigate the flow past a sphere of a parallel supersonic stream which is nonuniform in magnitude; such a flow can be considered as two co-axial streams of an ideal gas. The problem is solved numerically by the method of establishment [1]. Supersonic flow of nonuniform magnitude and direction past blunt bodies and a plane wall was investigated in [2–5],Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 89–94, September–October, 1970.The author wishes to thank G. F. Telenin for his attention to the paper.     

Solution of some problems of flow through fractured porous media

Problems of fluid flow through a fractured porous medium consisting of fractures and blocks with different filter characteristics are solved. The mass exchange between fractures and blocks is assumed to be proportional to the pressure difference between them. The porosity in the fractures is assumed to be negligibly small. Under these assumptions the determination of the pressure fields reduces to the integration of a system of linear differential equations. The solution is found by the operational method using the Efros theorem. The cases of oil reservoir operation by means of both galleries and wells are considered. The solutions are obtained in an analytical form convenient for calculations.Kazan'. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 94–102, January–February, 1995.     

Nonisothermal model of asymmetric fluids

Several studies have been devoted to the investigation of the properties of fluid models with asymmetric stress tensors [1–5].In the following we consider the peculiarities of the Grad nonisothermal model [1]. It is shown that for the case of a nonuniform temperature field in a fluid in the general case there is an intersection of the thermal flux with the moment stress flux. Account for the flux intersection leads to change of the moment of momentum and specific entropy equations.In those cases when the physical characteristics of the medium in the flow region may be considered constant, the flux intersection may influence the fluid flow only through the boundary conditions.Thus, for example, the asymmetric moment stresses created by the temperature gradient will drive a fluid layer into motion if one of the layer surfaces is free.     

Exact solutions of problems of fluid inflow into a well with a vertical hydrofracture and their use in numerical models of flow through porous media

The plane steady flow of a homogeneous incompressible fluid in a reservoir containing a vertical elliptic hydrofracture is considered. The flow in the reservoir and fracture obeys Darcy's law. Exact solutions of the problem of inflow into a fracture of finite conductivity are obtained both in the case of a uniform reservoir and in the presence in the neighborhood of the fracture of a zone with permeability different from that of the rest of the reservoir. On the basis of the solutions obtained, the effect of the parameters of the polluted zone in the vicinity of the well on its production rate is estimated in the presence of a fracture of finite conductivity, the efficiency of hydraulic fracture of the producing and injection wells is analyzed for regular development systems, and a method of taking hydrofractures of arbitrary orientation and length into account is proposed for finite-difference models of flow through porous media in a system of wells.Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 6, pp. 69–80, November–December, 1996.     

Motion of a spherical solid particle in a nonuniform flow of a viscous incompressible liquid

The effect of a particle on the basic flow is studied, and the equations of motion of the particle are formulated. The problem is solved in the Stokes approximation with an accuracy up to the cube of the ratio of the radius of the sphere to the distance from the center of the sphere to peculiarities in the basic flow. An analogous problem concerning the motion of a sphere in a nonuniform flow of an ideal liquid has been discussed in [1]. We note that the solution is known in the case of flow around two spheres by a uniform flow of a viscous incompressible liquid [2], and we also note the papers [3, 4] on the motion of a small particle in a cylindrical tube.Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 4, pp. 71–74, July–August, 1976.     

Slow motion of a permeable sphere in a viscous fluid

Flow of a viscous fluid past a permeable sphere is investigated in the Stokes approximation. An example of such a flow is flow past a perforated or meshed spherical surface. The elements of the sphere contain rigid impermeable sections and openings through which the fluid can flow. The interaction of the sphere with the flow is described by two drag coefficients, which established the connection between the flow velocity of the fluid at the sphere and the stress tensor on it. The dependence of the flow pattern and also the drag and flow rate of the fluid on these coefficients is investigated. In special cases, the obtained solution describes flow past solid and liquid spheres.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 165–167, September–October, 1982.     

A Simple Model of a Two-Layered High-Temperature Liquid-Dominated Geothermal Reservoir as a Part of a Large-Scale Hydrothermal Convection System

The Kakkonda geothermal reservoir, Japan, is a typical high-temperature liquid-dominated geothermal reservoir, except for its distinctive two-layered temperature structure. It has a shallow permeable reservoir of 230–260°, and a deep less permeable reservoir of 350–360°. Geology and hydrology indicate that the shallow reservoir is one to two orders of magnitude more permeable than the deep reservoir, but that the two reservoirs communicate. It has been widely assumed in engineering and scientific circles that the connection between the two reservoirs is a zero or low permeability barrier to fluid flow. We show that this hypothesis is untenable, based on both physical evidence and numerical simulation. We numerically model the evolution of the geothermal system as it heats after emplacement of an intrusion. The two-layered temperature structure is found to be a consequence of the permeability difference, i.e. the two-layered permeability structure.     

Plane problem of uniform flow of a two-layer fluid past a circular cylinder

An explicit solution is found for the problem of uniform horizontal flow of a two-layer fluid of infinite depth past a circular cylinder. The cylinder axis is perpendicular to the flow. The problem is solved within a linear formulation. The solution of the problem is expressed in the form of rapidly converging series with coefficients determined from a recurrence relation. The first seven terms of the series yield the values of the hydrodynamic loads with a relative accuracy of 10^–6. The results are in good agreement with the known values for similar problems in a homogeneous fluid. Tables of the lift and wave drag are given for homogeneous and two-layer fluids.Novosibirsk. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 91–97, January–February, 1996.     

Solution of the problem of outflow of fluid from a half-space through a partially permeable wall

An exact solution is obtained to the problem of outflow of a perfect incompressible fluid from a half-space through an opening, occupied by a permeable plate. It is shown that the flow rate Q of the fluid in the case of outflow through a permeable plate can exceed the flow rate Q₀ of the fluid in the case of jet outflow through a free space.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 174–176, September–October, 1985.     

Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Fluid Flow in Synthetic Fractures

Fractures play an important role in reservoir engineering as they dominate the fluid flow in the reservoir. All evidence suggests that rarely can one model flow and transport in a fractured rock consistently by treating it as a uniform or mildly nonuniform isotropic continuum. Instead, one must generally account for the highly erratic heterogeneity, directional dependence, dual or multicomponent nature and multiscale behavior of fractured rocks. As experimental methods are expensive and time consuming most of the time numerical methods are used to study flow and transport in a fractured rock. In this work, we present results of the numerical computations for single phase flow simulations through two-dimensional synthetically created fracture apertures. These synthetic rock fractures are created using different fractal dimensions, anisotropy factors, and mismatch lengths. Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), which is a new computational approach suitable to simulate fluid flow especially in complex geometries, was then used to determine the permeability for different fractures. Regions of high velocity and low velocity flow were identified. The resulting permeability values were less than the ones obtained with the cubic law estimates. It has been found that as the mean aperture–fractal dimension ratio increased permeability increased. Moreover as the anisotropy factor increased permeability decreased. Neural network simulations were used to generalize the results.     

Hydrodynamic resistance of pipelines with a magnetic fluid coating

The possibilities of reducing the resistance of pipelines by coating the inner surface with a low-viscosity magnetic fluid, held on the walls by a nonuniform magnetic field, are discussed.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 5, pp. 72–77, September–October, 1989.