An integrated 3D model of water shutoff considering the gelation kinetics of nanosilica gel

Abstract The latest developments in nanosilica gel technology hold great promise for mitigating excessive water production in oil and gas wells. Nevertheless, to unlock the full potential of this technology, advanced modeling techniques are required to accurately predict and design optimal placement...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mohammed Alabdrabalnabi, Hamzah Aboluhom, Murtada Saleh Aljawad, Mustafa Al-Ramadan, Ayman Almohsin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01234-5
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850272848365486080
author Mohammed Alabdrabalnabi
Hamzah Aboluhom
Murtada Saleh Aljawad
Mustafa Al-Ramadan
Ayman Almohsin
author_facet Mohammed Alabdrabalnabi
Hamzah Aboluhom
Murtada Saleh Aljawad
Mustafa Al-Ramadan
Ayman Almohsin
author_sort Mohammed Alabdrabalnabi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The latest developments in nanosilica gel technology hold great promise for mitigating excessive water production in oil and gas wells. Nevertheless, to unlock the full potential of this technology, advanced modeling techniques are required to accurately predict and design optimal placement strategies, ensuring effective and efficient treatment outcomes. Numerical simulations play a vital role in the design and optimization of water shutoff treatments, but their potential is frequently compromised by two significant shortcomings: the oversimplification of gel behavior and the neglect of formation heterogeneity. These limitations can result in inaccurate predictions, suboptimal treatment designs, and reduced effectiveness, underscoring the need for more sophisticated and realistic simulation approaches that can accurately capture the intricate interactions between the gel, formation, and fluid properties. By addressing these limitations, advanced numerical simulations can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the complex processes involved, enabling the development of more effective and efficient water shutoff treatments that maximize well performance and minimize environmental impact. This study presents a groundbreaking 3D modeling approach that simulates water shutoff operations using Nanosilica gel, addressing the complexities of gel behavior and formation heterogeneity. By integrating experimental data, mathematical formulations, and computational simulations, the model reveals the intricate relationships between key factors such as injection rate, fluid temperature, treatment volume, activator concentration, and formation properties. The simulation results emphasize the need to strike a delicate balance between competing factors, including gel penetration, temperature cooldown, and gelation time, to achieve optimal treatment outcomes. Furthermore, the model demonstrates the significant impact of formation heterogeneity on gel distribution and performance, highlighting the importance of considering localized variations in permeability and porosity during the design phase. This innovative approach provides a powerful tool for optimizing treatment success, reducing water management costs, and improving overall efficiency in oil and gas fields.
format Article
id doaj-art-eafc6f57c2ac4ed1a60238f493395200
institution OA Journals
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-eafc6f57c2ac4ed1a60238f4933952002025-08-20T01:51:39ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-01234-5An integrated 3D model of water shutoff considering the gelation kinetics of nanosilica gelMohammed Alabdrabalnabi0Hamzah Aboluhom1Murtada Saleh Aljawad2Mustafa Al-Ramadan3Ayman Almohsin4EXPEC ARC, Saudi AramcoCollege of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum and MineralsCollege of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum and MineralsCollege of Petroleum Engineering and Geosciences, King Fahd University of Petroleum and MineralsEXPEC ARC, Saudi AramcoAbstract The latest developments in nanosilica gel technology hold great promise for mitigating excessive water production in oil and gas wells. Nevertheless, to unlock the full potential of this technology, advanced modeling techniques are required to accurately predict and design optimal placement strategies, ensuring effective and efficient treatment outcomes. Numerical simulations play a vital role in the design and optimization of water shutoff treatments, but their potential is frequently compromised by two significant shortcomings: the oversimplification of gel behavior and the neglect of formation heterogeneity. These limitations can result in inaccurate predictions, suboptimal treatment designs, and reduced effectiveness, underscoring the need for more sophisticated and realistic simulation approaches that can accurately capture the intricate interactions between the gel, formation, and fluid properties. By addressing these limitations, advanced numerical simulations can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the complex processes involved, enabling the development of more effective and efficient water shutoff treatments that maximize well performance and minimize environmental impact. This study presents a groundbreaking 3D modeling approach that simulates water shutoff operations using Nanosilica gel, addressing the complexities of gel behavior and formation heterogeneity. By integrating experimental data, mathematical formulations, and computational simulations, the model reveals the intricate relationships between key factors such as injection rate, fluid temperature, treatment volume, activator concentration, and formation properties. The simulation results emphasize the need to strike a delicate balance between competing factors, including gel penetration, temperature cooldown, and gelation time, to achieve optimal treatment outcomes. Furthermore, the model demonstrates the significant impact of formation heterogeneity on gel distribution and performance, highlighting the importance of considering localized variations in permeability and porosity during the design phase. This innovative approach provides a powerful tool for optimizing treatment success, reducing water management costs, and improving overall efficiency in oil and gas fields.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01234-5Gel placementWater shutoff3D modelingNumerical simulaitons
spellingShingle Mohammed Alabdrabalnabi
Hamzah Aboluhom
Murtada Saleh Aljawad
Mustafa Al-Ramadan
Ayman Almohsin
An integrated 3D model of water shutoff considering the gelation kinetics of nanosilica gel
Scientific Reports
Gel placement
Water shutoff
3D modeling
Numerical simulaitons
title An integrated 3D model of water shutoff considering the gelation kinetics of nanosilica gel
title_full An integrated 3D model of water shutoff considering the gelation kinetics of nanosilica gel
title_fullStr An integrated 3D model of water shutoff considering the gelation kinetics of nanosilica gel
title_full_unstemmed An integrated 3D model of water shutoff considering the gelation kinetics of nanosilica gel
title_short An integrated 3D model of water shutoff considering the gelation kinetics of nanosilica gel
title_sort integrated 3d model of water shutoff considering the gelation kinetics of nanosilica gel
topic Gel placement
Water shutoff
3D modeling
Numerical simulaitons
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01234-5
work_keys_str_mv AT mohammedalabdrabalnabi anintegrated3dmodelofwatershutoffconsideringthegelationkineticsofnanosilicagel
AT hamzahaboluhom anintegrated3dmodelofwatershutoffconsideringthegelationkineticsofnanosilicagel
AT murtadasalehaljawad anintegrated3dmodelofwatershutoffconsideringthegelationkineticsofnanosilicagel
AT mustafaalramadan anintegrated3dmodelofwatershutoffconsideringthegelationkineticsofnanosilicagel
AT aymanalmohsin anintegrated3dmodelofwatershutoffconsideringthegelationkineticsofnanosilicagel
AT mohammedalabdrabalnabi integrated3dmodelofwatershutoffconsideringthegelationkineticsofnanosilicagel
AT hamzahaboluhom integrated3dmodelofwatershutoffconsideringthegelationkineticsofnanosilicagel
AT murtadasalehaljawad integrated3dmodelofwatershutoffconsideringthegelationkineticsofnanosilicagel
AT mustafaalramadan integrated3dmodelofwatershutoffconsideringthegelationkineticsofnanosilicagel
AT aymanalmohsin integrated3dmodelofwatershutoffconsideringthegelationkineticsofnanosilicagel