Doctrines have evolved in petroleum reservoir engineering in contradiction to empirical & laboratory realities:
Doctrine 1: Optimal Voidage Replacement Ratio is One
Reality 1: For large well spacings (e.g. offshore) & heavier oils, periods of VRR < 1 can significantly increase recovery (SPE 166609, Aberdeen, 2013)
Doctrine 2: Decline curves are monotonic (e.g., exponential, hyperbolic,...)
Reality 2: Waterflood decline curves have steps that can significantly impact reserve assessments (EAGE, Cairo, 2007)
Doctrine 3: Mobility ratios (ratio of viscosities) determine flow instability and fingering
Reality 3: Pressure diffusion combined with flow rate injection determines flow instability (Beijing, 2006)
Doctrine 4: Water & oil phases slip past each other according to their relative permeabilities
Reality 4: For many oil/water combinations, the phases embed themselves within each other forming flowing emulsions, often with a constant water/oil ratio, WOR ~ 1. (Cairo, 2007)
Doctrine 1: Optimal Voidage Replacement Ratio is One
Reality 1: For large well spacings (e.g. offshore) & heavier oils, periods of VRR < 1 can significantly increase recovery (SPE 166609, Aberdeen, 2013)
Doctrine 2: Decline curves are monotonic (e.g., exponential, hyperbolic,...)
Reality 2: Waterflood decline curves have steps that can significantly impact reserve assessments (EAGE, Cairo, 2007)
Doctrine 3: Mobility ratios (ratio of viscosities) determine flow instability and fingering
Reality 3: Pressure diffusion combined with flow rate injection determines flow instability (Beijing, 2006)
Doctrine 4: Water & oil phases slip past each other according to their relative permeabilities
Reality 4: For many oil/water combinations, the phases embed themselves within each other forming flowing emulsions, often with a constant water/oil ratio, WOR ~ 1. (Cairo, 2007)