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New Insights Into Complex Interactions Between Heterogeneity and Wettability Influencing Two‐Phase Flow in Porous Media

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL088187· OSTI ID:1786904
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [3]
  1. Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences The University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
  2. Department of Petroleum Engineering Texas A &, M University at Qatar Doha Qatar
  3. Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science The University of Manchester Manchester, Now at School of Civil Engineering Hamburg University of Technology Hamburg Germany
Abstract

Coupled effects of wettability and pore geometry on pore‐scale dynamics of immiscible two‐phase fluid displacement were investigated using a multiphase lattice Boltzmann model in homogeneous and heterogeneous porous media under a wide range of contact angle θ (25° ≤ θ ≤ 175°). The observed invasion patterns indicate that the complex interactions between wettability and pore morphology play crucial roles in controlling the displacement patterns. The detailed pore‐scale analysis enabled us to delineate how wettability influences the recovery efficiency of the defending fluid in homogeneous and heterogeneous porous media. As the wetting condition changes from strong drainage to imbibition, we observed a transition from burst to corner flow leading to a compact displacement and hence a higher recovery efficiency in the heterogeneous sample. The present study sheds new insights on how the interaction between wettability and heterogeneity influences fluid displacement in porous media.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
FC26-05NT42590
OSTI ID:
1786904
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1799719
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 47; ISSN 0094-8276
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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