Intermittent fluid connectivity during two-phase flow in a heterogeneous carbonate rock
File(s)Intermittent-fluid-connectivity-during-two-phase.pdf (14.5 MB)
Accepted version
OA Location
Author(s)
Spurin, Catherine
Bultreys, Tom
Bijeljic, Branko
Blunt, Martin J
Krevor, Samuel
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Subsurface fluid flow is ubiquitous in nature, and understanding the interaction of multiple fluids as they flow within a porous medium is central to many geological, environmental, and industrial processes. It is assumed that the flow pathways of each phase are invariant when modeling subsurface flow using Darcy's law extended to multiphase flow, a condition that is assumed to be valid during steady-state flow. However, it has been observed that intermittent flow pathways exist at steady state even at the low capillary numbers typically encountered in the subsurface. Little is known about the pore structure controls or the impact of intermittency on continuum scale flow properties. Here we investigate the impact of intermittent pathways on the connectivity of the fluids for a carbonate rock. Using laboratory-based micro computed tomography imaging we observe that intermittent pathway flow occurs in intermediate-sized pores due to the competition between both flowing fluids. This competition moves to smaller pores when the flow rate of the nonwetting phase increases. Intermittency occurs in poorly connected pores or in regions where the nonwetting phase itself is poorly connected. Intermittent pathways lead to the interrupted transport of the fluids; this means they are important in determining continuum scale flow properties, such as relative permeability. The impact of intermittency on flow properties is significant because it occurs at key locations, whereby the nonwetting phase is otherwise disconnected.
Date Issued
2019-10-08
Date Acceptance
2019-10-01
Citation
Physical Review E, 2019, 100 (4)
ISSN
2470-0045
Publisher
American Physical Society
Journal / Book Title
Physical Review E
Volume
100
Issue
4
Copyright Statement
© 2019 American Physical Society.
Sponsor
Shell Global Solutions International BV
Shell Global Solutions International BV
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000489253000007&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
PO no. 4550143956
4550171345
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Physics, Mathematical
Physics
INTERFACIAL-TENSION
MULTIPHASE FLOW
FRACTIONAL FLOW
WETTABILITY
VISCOSITY
REGIMES
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
043103
Date Publish Online
2019-10-08