One-dimensional (1D) Slim-tube compositional simulation

Wang and Peck have reported that among the numerical MMP calculation approaches, 1D
compositional simulation is shown to be able to predict MMPs that are consistent with

Slim-

tube test data, provided that appropriate fluid phase behavior characterization is available and
care is taken to account for the effect of numerical dispersion. Zick have also showed that the
MMP could be estimated by 1D compositional simulation, provided sufficient care was taken to
account for the effects of numerical dispersion. Without taking into account grid effects, Slimtube simulation results can overestimate MMPs severely and with a large degree of subjectivity.
Stalkup (1982) suggested a procedure for Slim-tube simulations, using an EOS based
compositional reservoir simulator, to estimate dispersion-free MMP. Oil recovery at a fixed pore
volume injection was tabulated for a number of simulations with varying numbers of grid cells.
These data were plotted versus the inverse of grid-cell numbers, with the extrapolation providing
an estimate for dispersion-free recovery. Dispersion-free recoveries were plotted versus pressure
and the data were used to define the break point where dispersion-free recovery stabilized at
100%.
This point defines the MMP. A subsequent paper by Stalkup confirmed Zicks results and
outlined a procedure for extrapolation of the number of grid blocks to eliminate effects of
numerical dispersion. The papers by Zick and Stalkup demonstrate clearly that the MMP can
always be found by compositional simulation, though fine grids and repeated simulations at
multiple pressures will mean that significant computation times will be required. Conclusions
from Wang and Peck, Zick, Stalkup and others indicate that numerical simulation and 1D Slimtube simulation give excellent matching to the experimental data, particularly slim-tube data.
2D or 3D compositional simulation models
Alternatively, 2D or 3D compositional simulation models can also be used to calculate MMPs
accurately, assuming that enough number of cells is used to mitigate the effect of numerical
dispersion. Considering, the fact that a large number of grid blocks required to limit the effect of
numerical dispersion, the simulation type approaches are generally time consuming. In addition,
when the number of pressure points at which simulations are performed is not large enough to

obtain a reasonably well defined recovery curve, the numerically calculated MMPs are subject to
the visual interpretation of the recovery curve.