Steady-state three-phase flow in a mixed-wet porous medium: a pore-scale X-ray microtomography study
File(s)1-s2.0-S0309170823000179-main.pdf (16.54 MB)
Published version
Author(s)
Alhosani, Abdulla
Selem, Ahmed
Foroughi, Sajjad
Bijeljic, Branko
Blunt, Martin J
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We use three-dimensional X-ray imaging to investigate steady-state three-phase flow in a mixed-wet reservoir rock, while measuring both relative permeability and capillary pressure. Oil occupied the smallest pores, gas the biggest, while water occupied medium-sized pores. We report a distinct flow pattern, where gas flows in the form of disconnected ganglia by periodically opening critical flow pathways. Despite having capillary-controlled displacements, a significant fraction of the pore space was intermittently occupied by gas-oil and oil-water phases. Both types of intermittency occurred in intermediate-sized pores. Gas mainly displaces oil, and oil displaces water as the gas flow rate is increased, while oil displaces gas, and water displaces oil as gas flow is decreased. At the resolution of the images, no detectable gas was trapped in the rock due to its mixed-wettability which prevents either oil or water completely surrounding gas, suppressing snap-off and capillary trapping, which has significant implications for the design of gas storage in three-phase systems.
Date Issued
2023-02
Date Acceptance
2023-01-06
Citation
Advances in Water Resources, 2023, 172, pp.1-19
ISSN
0309-1708
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
1
End Page
19
Journal / Book Title
Advances in Water Resources
Volume
172
Copyright Statement
© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY licence.
License URL
Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0309170823000179?via%3Dihub
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
104382
Date Publish Online
2023-01-07