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Nonlinear effects in two‐phase flow to wells in geothermal reservoirs
Author(s) -
Sorey Michael L.,
Grant Malcolm A.,
Bradford Elizabeth
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr016i004p00767
Subject(s) - saturation (graph theory) , geothermal gradient , drawdown (hydrology) , relative permeability , nonlinear system , mechanics , fluid dynamics , permeability (electromagnetism) , two phase flow , enthalpy , geology , thermodynamics , materials science , petroleum engineering , flow (mathematics) , geotechnical engineering , chemistry , aquifer , porosity , groundwater , geophysics , physics , mathematics , biochemistry , combinatorics , quantum mechanics , membrane
Numerical and quasi‐analytical solutions for nonlinear two‐phase flow of steam and water to a geothermal well discharging at constant mass flow are presented. Simulated variations in pressure, saturation, and the enthalpy of the flowing fluid mixture are compared for various initial reservoir conditions and relative permeability functions. Nonlinear effects associated with variations in the relative permeabilities and viscosities with saturation and pressure cause curvature in the semilog pressure response during drawdown and overrecovery in liquid saturation following shut‐in. The flowing enthalpy is shown to increase as liquid saturation decreases during drawdown but to reach a stable value near the well face at times small enough to be useful in well test analysis.