Applied Modelling of Shale Oil Cross-Scale Flow Behaviors in Gulong, China

Abstract Gulong shale oil is characterized by abundantly enriched nanopores and bedding fractures. A critical challenge of shale oil reservoir simulation is the representation of complex cross-scale flows among tight matrix, bedding fractures and hydraulic fractures, which require fine gridding and massive computation. A simulation approach of shale oil flow by combining multiple-interacting-continua (MINC) and discrete-fracture-network (DFN) is provided to investigate the flow behaviors of shale oil. Dynamic bedding fractures dilation under varying reservoir stresses is predicted by the Barton-Bandis model. Compared to the conventional methods of Gulong shale oil simulation by simple grid system, the resultant coupled MINC and DFN model with dynamic bedding fractures consists of an approach at constructing a rigorous relation between the flow nature of the macroscopic hydraulic fractures and the shale microstructures mainly characterized by the presence of shale matrix and bedding fractures. Cross-scale flow behaviors are investigated and numerical simulations are performed to efficiently predict production performance in Gulong shale oil reservoir. Relevant analysis based on simulation results suggest further considerations on the efficient modelling of cross-scale flows in shale oil reservoirs.