INFLUENCE OF PHASE-BEHAVIOR ON CHEMICAL FLOOD TRANSPORT PHENOMENA

A one-dimensional ternary two-phase simulator has been extended to inc lude improved physical properties. These physical properties - such as phase behavior, interfacial tension, residual saturations, relative p ermeabilities, phase viscosities, wettability, capillary pressure, ads orption and dispersion - are modeled as concentration dependent functi ons. Their functionality completely controls the chemical flood transp ort phenomena. In this paper, the influence of phase behavior, interfa cial tension reduction, mobility control and wettability alteration on chemical flooding are analyzed. In a subsequent paper the influence o f capillary pressure, adsorption, and physical and numerical dispersio n will be presented. The main application of the simulator here presen ted is to describe enhanced oil recovery processes. It may also be app lied to describe oil spill cleaning and groundwater contamination.