A Fully Coupled Numerical Model for Microwave Heating Enhanced Shale Gas Recovery

Jia Liu, Jianguo Wang, Chunfai Leung and Feng Gao
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Jia Liu: State Key Laboratory for Geomechanics & Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Jianguo Wang: State Key Laboratory for Geomechanics & Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Chunfai Leung: Center for Offshore Research and Engineering, National University of Singapore, E1A-07-03, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Singapore
Feng Gao: State Key Laboratory for Geomechanics & Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 6, 1-28

Abstract: Formation heat treatment (FHT) can be achieved by converting electromagnetic energy into heat energy (that is microwave heating or MWH). Experimental evidence shows that such FHT can significantly enhance oil and gas recovery. As relatively few research studies have been reported on microwave heating enhanced shale gas recovery (MWH-EGR), a fully coupled electromagnetic-thermo-hydro-mechanical (ETHM) model is developed for the MWH-EGR in the present study. In the ETHM model, a thermal-induced gas adsorption model is firstly proposed for shale gas adsorption and fitted by experimental data. This thermal-induced adsorption model considers the increase of matrix pore space due to the desorption of the adsorbed phase. Further, a thermal-induced fracture model in shale matrix is established and fitted by experimental data. Finally, this ETHM model is applied to a fractured shale gas reservoir to simulate gas production. Numerical results indicated that the thermal-induced fracturing and gas desorption make predominant contributions to the evolution of matrix porosity. The MWH can increase cumulative gas production by 44.9% after 31.7 years through promoting gas desorption and matrix diffusion. These outcomes can provide effective insights into shale gas recovery enhancement by microwave assistance.

Keywords: shale gas; microwave heating; gas desorption; thermal-induced fracturing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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