Digital-Rock Construction of Shale Oil Reservoir and Microscopic Flow Behavior Characterization

Abstract

In shale oil reservoirs, nano-scale pores and micro-scale fractures serve as the primary fluid storage and migration space, while the associated flow mechanism remains vague and is hard to understand. In this research, a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the shale core and micro-pore structure description technique is established; digital core technology for shale reservoirs was developed using X-ray computed tomography (X-CT), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM). Microscopic oil–water two-phase flow is mimicked using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), a well-acknowledged approach to exploring nanoconfined fluid dynamics. In addition, coupled with digital cores, the flow characteristics of shale reservoirs are characterized. The total porosities of bedding fractures in shale and lamellar shale are 2.042% and 1.085%, respectively. The single-phase oil flow inside bedding fractures follows Darcy’s linear flow principle. This work can deepen the understanding of the microscopic flow characteristics of continental shale reservoirs and provide a reference for similar problems that may be encountered.

Analysis of strength failure in gangue-based cementitious backfill body from a microscopic perspective

“…Yu [ 25 ] clarified the inner relationship between deformation and structural characteristics using X-ray CT scanning, MIP (mercury intrusion porosimetry) and BET (low temperature nitrogen adsorption). Wei [ 26 ] and Li [ 27 ] used CT technology to quantitatively analyze the pores and fractures in shale and lamellar shale. Wei [ 28 , 29 ] complemented scanning uniaxially compressed coal samples with μ -CT and obtained 3D visualization of the crack network model.…”