Method of determining the compositional evolution of fluids present in a
porous medium as a result of biodegradation.
A biodegradation compositional scheme is defined from twelve chemical
classes allowing the hydrocarbons and the gases resulting from
biodegradation to be described. The initial amount of each one of these
chemical classes contained in the fluids before biodegradation is
determined. A reaction scheme is then defined for biodegradation, wherein
the chemical classes react with electron acceptors according to parallel
reactions having different velocities, and each class reacts with these
acceptors according to sequential reactions. The biodegradation reaction
velocities are determined for each class. The composition of the fluids
is then deduced by assessing the amount of each chemical class by
applying the reaction scheme. The composition of the biodegraded
hydrocarbons, as well as the amount of acid gas and of methane produced,
are notably deduced.
Application: notably petroleum reservoir development.