The modeling of mercury porosimetry and the relative permeability of mercury in sandstones using percolation theory

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · Int. Chem. Eng.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6505763

Chatzis, I; Dullien, F A.L.

Drainage-type penetration into a number of regular networks representing the pore space was simulated on the computer with the help of a modified-site percolation approach. All of the networks are composed of two topological entities: capillaries and nodes. The porosimetry curve of mercury in sandstones the ''nonconductive saturation'' curve of mercury in sandstones, the relative permeability curve of mercury in sandstones, and the relative permeability curve of oil in a sandpack were calculated. The physical basis of the calculations is a one-to-one correspondence between the probability of a capillary being ''open'' and the cumulative distribution function of capillary diameters. In the calculations, realistic capillary- and node-diameter distribution functions, pore shapes, and relationships between the volume and the diameter of a pore were assumed. The cubic and the tetrahedral networks yield results in good agreement with the experimental data.

• Research Organization: Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Ontario
• OSTI ID: 6505763
• Journal Information: Int. Chem. Eng.; (United States), Vol. 25:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
MERCURY
HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY
SANDSTONES
POROSITY
CAPILLARY FLOW
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
HYDRAULICS
MEASURING METHODS
MICROSTRUCTURE
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR ROCK
SATURATION
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELEMENTS
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MECHANICS
METALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SIMULATION
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration