Two-Phase Pore-Network Modelling: Existence of Oil Layers During Water Invasion

Ryazanov, Andrey; Dijke, Marinus Izaak Jan Van; Sorbie, Kenneth Stuart

doi:10.1007/s11242-009-9345-x

Cited by 132 publications

(93 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The pore-scale physics of capillary trapping are broadly understood, as the underlying mechanisms such as piston-like displacement, snap-off and film development have been observed in physical micromodel experiments and quantitative theories have been established for them (1)(2)(3)(4). The conventional view considers such pore-scale processes to occur between multiple pores, i.e., they are interpore processes and the pores are defined as volumes connected by narrower pore throats.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Droplet fragmentation: 3D imaging of a previously unidentified pore-scale process during multiphase flow in porous media

Pak

Butler

Geiger

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

153

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Using X-ray computed microtomography, we have visualized and quantified the in situ structure of a trapped nonwetting phase (oil) in a highly heterogeneous carbonate rock after injecting a wetting phase (brine) at low and high capillary numbers. We imaged the process of capillary desaturation in 3D and demonstrated its impacts on the trapped nonwetting phase cluster size distribution. We have identified a previously unidentified pore-scale event during capillary desaturation. This pore-scale event, described as droplet fragmentation of the nonwetting phase, occurs in larger pores. It increases volumetric production of the nonwetting phase after capillary trapping and enlarges the fluid−fluid interface, which can enhance mass transfer between the phases. Droplet fragmentation therefore has implications for a range of multiphase flow processes in natural and engineered porous media with complex heterogeneous pore spaces.droplet fragmentation | X-ray computed microtomography | pore-scale imaging | heterogeneous porous media | carbonate rock M ultiphase fluid displacement processes in porous media are important for a broad range of natural and engineering applications such as transport of nonaqueous phase liquid contaminants in aquifers, oil and gas production from hydrocarbon reservoirs, subsurface CO 2 storage, or gas transport in fuel cells. Herein, capillary trapping is a fundamental mechanism that causes immobilization of a portion of the resident nonwetting phase when it is displaced by an invading wetting phase. As a result, production of the nonwetting phase is always less than 100%.The pore-scale physics of capillary trapping are broadly understood, as the underlying mechanisms such as piston-like displacement, snap-off and film development have been observed in physical micromodel experiments and quantitative theories have been established for them (1-4). The conventional view considers such pore-scale processes to occur between multiple pores, i.e., they are interpore processes and the pores are defined as volumes connected by narrower pore throats. By contrast, intrapore processes, as presented in this paper, are not well established in the literature. During drainage (i.e., where a nonwetting phase displaces the wetting phase), the wetting phase can establish films in the corners of the pores, which results in its continuous production and hence low residual saturations of the wetting phase. During imbibition (i.e., where the wetting phase displaces a nonwetting phase), swelling of the corner wetting films causes snap-off of the nonwetting phase, which results in capillary trapping of the nonwetting phase. The trapped nonwetting phase exists as disconnected ganglia within the pore network. Numerical pore network models have been developed to include these porelevel mechanisms with the aim of predicting the macroscopic flow properties of porous materials such as the structure of the phase distributions, residual saturation, relative permeability functions, and capillary pressure curves. Some of these mod...

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Droplet fragmentation: 3D imaging of a previously unidentified pore-scale process during multiphase flow in porous media

Pak

Butler

Geiger

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

153

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“…The results obtained show that presence of a small fraction of oil-wet rock grains drastically affects oil recovery by capillary imbibition Understanding rock wettability, among other petrophysical properties, is very important in the prediction of fluid transport within the rock matrix in fractured reservoirs (Arns et al, 2004;Blunt et al, 2013;Liu et al, 2017). Pore network structures of fractured reservoir matrix rocks, idealized from 3D X-ray tomography images of core plugs, are useful in efficient calculation of storage capacity and multiphase fluid transport in the formation (Jiang et al 2007;Ryazanov et al, 2009;Bauer et al, 2012;Al-Dhalhi et al, 2013;Ahmadpour et al, 2016;Liu et al, 2017;Ding et al, 2017). The extension of pore-network models to include explicit fractures (Jiang et al, 2012;Ding et al, 2017) provides an important approach in understanding the rock matrix-to-fractures fluid transfer process and in the modeling of the effects of wettability on waterflood oil recovery.…”

Section: Fractured Reservoirsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of studies on pore-network modeling of wettability effects on waterflood oil recovery

Wopara¹,

Iyuke²

2018

J. Petroleum Gas Eng.

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Waterflooding has become by far the most widely applied method for enhanced oil recovery, accounting for more than half of oil production worldwide. Changes in the wettability of a porous medium and the chemical composition of the wetting fluid result to changes in oil recovery. In recent time, pore-network modeling has been used increasingly to study the effect of wettability on waterflood oil recovery and multiphase flow properties in different types of petroleum reservoirs. Starting from single pore models of fluid arrangements, computations of relative permeability, interfacial area, mass dissolution rate and many other physical properties have been made. Using realistic representations of the pore spaces of various rock systems, it is now possible to predict many petro-physical properties that govern fluid flow and transport in petroleum reservoir rock systems. Such properties include porosity, permeability, waterflood relative permeability, capillary pressure, phase saturations, and fluid transfer coefficients. This review looks briefly into some of the successes made so far on pore network modeling, with an emphasis on models of wettability trends and oil recovery by waterflooding.

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“…Most researchers used pore bodies of cubic or spherical shapes; Joekar-Niasar and Hassanizadeh [13] introduced the pore bodies as truncated octahedrons and Ryazanov et al [14] utilized n-cornered star-shaped pores in their researches.…”

Section: Network Geometrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation of water movement and its distribution in a soil column under a water source using pore - scale network modelling

2016

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Abstract.The relationship between capillary pressure and saturation has a remarkable value in investigating interactions of two immiscible fluids in porous media. Pore network models, as predictors of fluids movement in porous media, can play undeniable role in determining the mentioned relationship. In the current study, the results of numerical pore network modelling, which represents pore structure of a real porous medium with networks of pore bodies connected with pore throats, are used for computing the macroscopic relationship between capillary pressure and saturation. A notable volume of soil is influenced by water source and according to the results of previous studies, it seems practically impossible to simulate water movement in macro scale dimensions by use of pore scale models. Meanwhile a suitable solution was found in this study, by considering a thin vertical soil column under the water source which was divided to smaller volumes as cells, by horizontal crossings. Each cell was considered as a pore network unit, so the soil column was consisted of series of pore network units which were vertically jointed to each other. The moisture distribution and also wetting front movement in the column were determined by application of pore network model, using the dynamic update saturation solution method. The solution was conducted between each pair of consequent cells in an alternative manner within a time step since arrival time of the water from an upper cell to the lower one. Moreover, for evaluation of the model ability, soil moisture profiles in a sandy soil of an experimental tank under the water source were studied. Comparison of the simulation and observation data confirmed the high ability of the column pore network model in prediction of the moisture distribution and wetting front movement in a soil column.

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Two-Phase Pore-Network Modelling: Existence of Oil Layers During Water Invasion

Cited by 132 publications

References 29 publications

Droplet fragmentation: 3D imaging of a previously unidentified pore-scale process during multiphase flow in porous media

Droplet fragmentation: 3D imaging of a previously unidentified pore-scale process during multiphase flow in porous media

Review of studies on pore-network modeling of wettability effects on waterflood oil recovery

Simulation of water movement and its distribution in a soil column under a water source using pore - scale network modelling

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