Experimental and Numerical Study of Microbial Improved Oil Recovery in a Pore Scale Model by using COMSOL

M. Shabani Afrapoli, L. Shidong, S. Alipour , and O. Torsaeter
Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics
NTNU
Trondheim, Norway
Published in 2011

A number of visualization experiments are carried out at the laboratory temperature with oil, brine and bacteria suspension for evaluating the performance of MIOR in a glass micromodel. The observations show the effects of bacteria on remaining oil saturation. The interfacial tension reduction, wettability alteration and flow pattern changes are recognized as active mechanisms.

COMSOL Multiphysics is used to simulate the two phases flow obtained experimentally at the pore scale. The impact of the active mechanisms on the flow pattern are modeled. Oil displacement Processes by water and bacteria suspension are investigated based on experimental results and numerical modeling of the MIOR process. Consequently, COMSOL will be a valuable tool for numerically simulating the MIOR process at the micro scale.