Monitoring fluid front movement using permanent resistivity arrays

Knowledge of fluid movement in the reservoir is a key to reducing production cost and to increasing ultimate recovery. The main objective of reservoir fluid monitoring is to provide a reliable temporal description of the fluid front propagation resulting from fluid injection and production.; This study represents the first experimental work to study the feasibility of fluid front monitoring using Permanent Resistivity Arrays in a well centered in a circular drainage area. A visual sector model that represents 1/16 th of the circular drainage area was designed and constructed. The production/injection well was equipped with permanent resistivity arrays. Advanced data acquisition system was used to inject current and to measure electric potential.; The experimental data were then simulated numerically using a finite element numerical model developed by Schlumberger. A good match was obtained between laboratory and numerical results. The model was also used to understand the influence of various parameters on the measurements.; The results of this study indicate that resistivity measurements are very sensitive to fluid movement and that Permanent Resistivity Arrays can easily be used to monitor fluid front movement. It was demonstrated through this work that fluid front can be detectable up to a distance equaling twice the length of the resistivity array and the detection level could even be improved several fold if the sensitivity of the measurements are improved. The resistivity measurements were also found to be sensitive to the orientation of the fluid front.