Hydrocarbon migration and accumulation simulation: A review and a novel multi-scale quantitative numerical simulation method

Abstract

The simulation of hydrocarbon migration and accumulation is critical for understanding petroleum systems, yet existing methods face significant limitations, particularly in unconventional reservoirs. Traditional physical experiments are constrained by scale, complexity, and difficulty in reproducing real subsurface conditions, while conventional numerical simulation models struggle to capture the multi-scale dynamics of fluid flow in low-permeability formations. Many current approaches fail to incorporate key microscopic mechanisms, such as capillary effects, wettability alterations, and multi-phase interactions, leading to inaccuracies in predicting hydrocarbon accumulation. To address these challenges, this study provides a comprehensive review of HMA simulation techniques and proposes a novel multi-scale quantitative numerical simulation method. The approach integrates the lattice Boltzmann method for pore-scale fluid dynamics, pore network modeling for core-scale characterization, and geological modeling methods for reservoir-scale simulations. The results demonstrate that wettability, influenced by high-temperature and high-pressure conditions, plays a critical role in hydrocarbon accumulation by reducing capillary pressure and enhancing migration efficiency. This integrated framework significantly improves the accuracy and predictive capability of HMA simulations, offering a more reliable methodology for unconventional resource exploration and development.