An effective method to predict oil recovery in high water cut stage

The water flooding characteristic curve method based on the traditional regression equation between the oil and water phase permeability ratio and the water saturation is inappropriate to predict the oil recovery in the high water cut stage. Hence, a new water flooding characteristic curve equation adapted to the high water cut stage is proposed to predict the oil recovery. The water drive phase permeability experiments show that the curve of the oil and water phase permeability ratio vs. the water saturation, in the semi-logarithmic coordinates, has a significantly lower bend after entering the high water cut stage, so the water flooding characteristic curve method based on the traditional regression equation between the oil and water phase permeability ratio and the water saturation is inappropriate to predict the oil recovery in the high water cut stage; therefore, a new water flooding characteristic curve equation based on a better relationship between In(kro/krw) and Sw is urgently desirable to be established to effectively and reliably predict the oil recovery of a water drive reservoir adapted to a high water cut stage. In this paper, by carrying out the water drive phase permeability experiments, a new mathematical model between the oil and water phase permeability ratio and the water saturation is established,with the regression analysis method and an integration of the established model, the water flooding characteristic curve equation adapted to a high water cut stage is obtained. Using the new water flooding characteristic curve to predict the oil recovery of the GD3-block of the SL oilfield and the J09-block of the DG oilfield in China, results with high predicted accuracy are obtained.