Flow and Waterflooding Characteristics of High Asphaltene Heavy Oil in Fractured⁃Vuggy Reservoirs Based on Visualization Model

doi:10.12422/j.issn.1672-6952.2026.01.005

Abstract

Abstract:

The heterogeneity of the Tahe fractured?vuggy reservoir is strong, and the fluid flow state is complex. The flow and waterflooding mechanisms of high?asphaltene heavy oil remain poorly understood, posing significant challenges to the effective implementation of water injection strategies. Based on a visualization model of fractured?vuggy reservoirs, experimental investigations were carried out on the flow and displacement behavior of heavy oil with different viscosities. The relationship between the flow resistance coefficient of asphaltene containing heavy oil and the viscosity and flow rate was established, and dynamic quantification of oil saturation in different vuggys was achieved through image recognition. The characteristics of waterflooding of high asphaltene heavy oil in fractured?vuggy reservoirs and the influence mechanisms of heavy oil viscosity, fractures, and water injection rate were clarified. The results indicate that the viscosity of heavy oil increased from 59 mPa $?$ s (medium viscosity) to 1 090 mPa $?$ s (extra viscosity), the apparent threshold pressure gradient of heavy oil in the fracture cavity increased by one order of magnitude, the flow resistance coefficient increased by three times, and the waterflooding recovery rate decreased by 9.6 percentage points. Increased heavy oil viscosity also reduced the number of vugs affected by waterflooding, thereby increasing the remaining oil volume in attic configurations, localized high points, and along cavity walls. The scale, length, and spatial distribution of crack width have a greater impact on the flow direction of waterflooding heavy oil, and are stronger than the gravity differentiation of oil and water. Appropriately increasing the water injection rate enhances the ability of water flooding to spread and break through small?scale fractures.

Key words: Fracture?vuggy reservoir, High asphaltene heavy oil, Flow law, Waterflooding characteristics, Visualization, Viscosity of heavy oil

摘要：

缝洞型油藏非均质性强、流体流态复杂，高含沥青质稠油流动特征及水驱规律不明确，给油田注水开发造成极大的困难。基于可视化缝洞模型，开展不同黏度稠油流动及水驱效果实验，建立了含沥青质稠油流动阻力系数与黏度及流量的关系；结合图像识别实现不同孔洞含油饱和度动态量化，明确了高含沥青质稠油在缝洞中的水驱特征及稠油黏度、裂缝参数和注水速度对驱油效果的影响。结果表明，当稠油黏度从59 mPa·s（中黏）增加到1 090 mPa·s（特黏）时，缝洞中稠油拟启动压力梯度增大了1个数量级，流动阻力系数增加了3倍；水驱采收率降低了9.6个百分点；当稠油黏度增大时，水驱波及孔洞数量减少，剩余阁楼油、局部高部位油和壁面油增加；裂缝宽度、长度及空间位置分布对水驱稠油液流走向的影响较大，且该作用强于油水重力分异作用；注水初期适当增大注水速度，水驱在小尺度裂缝宽度中的波及、突破能力增加。

关键词: 缝洞储层, 高含沥青质稠油, 流动规律, 水驱特征, 可视化, 稠油黏度

CLC Number:

TE357

Lei LIU, Jinghui LI, Yuguo LIU, Chang CAO, Yongzan YAN, Hongyu DING, Long XU. Flow and Waterflooding Characteristics of High Asphaltene Heavy Oil in Fractured⁃Vuggy Reservoirs Based on Visualization Model[J]. Journal of Liaoning Petrochemical University, 2026, 46(1): 37-44.

刘磊, 李晶辉, 刘玉国, 曹畅, 闫永赞, 丁红雨, 徐龙. 基于可视化模型的缝洞型油藏高含沥青质稠油流动及水驱特征[J]. 辽宁石油化工大学学报, 2026, 46(1): 37-44.

Figures/Tables 11

Fig.1 Schematic and physical drawings of the visual fractured?vuggy model

Fig.2 Apparent threshold pressure gradient of heavy oil with different viscosities in fractured?vuggy

Fig.3 The relationship between flow resistance coefficient and flow rate of heavy oil with different viscosities in fractured?vuggy

Fig.4 Changes in waterflood recovery factor of fractured?vuggy heavy oil under different injection?production modes with respect to injected pore volume (PV number)

Fig.5 Effect of heavy oil viscosity on fracture?vug water flooding recovery factor under the pattern of bottom injection and top production

Fig.6 Changes in oil?water distribution during waterflooding for heavy oil with different viscosities in the fractured?vuggy

Fig.7 Changes in oil saturation in different pores during waterflooding for heavy oil with different viscosities in the fractured?vuggy

Fig.8 Production performance of blind?end oil at local high of Xiadong 13 block

Fig.9 Flow behavior of heavy oils with different viscosities in fractures of different widths under waterflooding conditions

Fig.10 The oil recovery efficiency of heavy oil vary with the number of injected PV at different water injection rates in the fractured?vuggy

Fig.11 Flow of heavy oil with different water injection rates in fractures of different widths

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