UTMAST (UT Matrix Acidizing Simulation Tool )

Background The program can be used to create a damage assessment model prior to applying the acidizing process in the well to reduce risk of damage to the well.

Invention Description UTMAST has two main parts, the formation damage assessment and acidizing simulation. The formation damage assessment model collects the necessary information about the well system and possible damage existing in the system from the user, and then suggests a treatment strategy to remove the damage. The suggestions include types and volumes of acids that should be used in the treatment in a preflush stage, if necessary, in a main acid stage, and in a post-flush stage. Recommendations are also made about additives and diversion. An input file to run the simulator, UTACID, is then generated from the assessment result. In the acidizing simulation part, the primary simulation starts from the suggestions by the assessment model. Permeability and skin factor are simulated as functions of injected acid volume. Acid types and volumes in each stage can be modified based on the simulation result to reach the goal of maximum removal of the damage and recovering the productivity of the well. The assessment result is summarized in a text file, and can be viewed by Notepad, WordPad, or other text programs. The simulation results are displayed graphically and in the tables.

Benefits

By optimizing the acidizing process, users can minimize the risk of damaging the well during acidification.

Features

The software combines an advisor section, which assists the user in designing a treatment, with an acidizing model that predicts the outcome of the designed treatment and guides the user through an assessment of the formation damage existing in a well; simulates the sandstone acidizing process, predicting the well response to HF/HCl acid mixtures; has a user-friendly Windows interface, and; can be used to design sandstone acidizing treatments or simulate past treatments.

Market Potential/Applications The software has applications in the oil and gas industry for downstream uses.

Development Stage Beta product/commercial prototype

UT Researcher A. Daniel Hill, Ph.D., Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin Ding Zhu, Ph.D., Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin

Type of Offer: Licensing



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