Experimental Investigation of Buoyant Flow in Realistic Bedforms With Heterogeneous Wettability

Ubillus, Jose Eduardo; Ni, Hailun; DiCarlo, David; Meckel, Tip

doi:10.2118/224402-pa

Title: Experimental Investigation of Buoyant Flow in Realistic Bedforms With Heterogeneous Wettability

Journal Article · 08 January 2025 · SPE Journal

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2118/224402-pa · OSTI ID:2497851

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University of Texas at Austin, TX (United States)

Submeter-scale geologic heterogeneity greatly affects CO₂ plume migration and retention. In this work, we present meter-scale laboratory experiments that can capture the impact of realistic submeter-scale geologic heterogeneity on multiphase flow and trapping. We produce realistic sedimentary formations consisting of ripple deposits with varying grain size contrast and wettability in a meter-scale slab chamber. Then, we conduct multiphase flow experiments with analog fluids through these structures and measure the saturation patterns, capillary heterogeneity trapping (CHT), and overall trapping performance. When we alter the ripple bedform architecture, variations in trapped saturation and CHT (10–20%) increment are exhibited. Similar growth in trapping performance is also observed when grain size contrast increases. Finally, wettability changes (water- to oil-wet) can increase nonwetting saturation and CHT up to 5% and 10–20%, respectively. These results emphasize the importance of correctly characterizing the impact of small-scale heterogeneities and wettability changes. We believe this is the first time that multiphase flow experiments were conducted in meter-scale domains with realistic ripple bedforms and heterogeneous wettability to investigate plume migration and trapping.

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Research Organization:: University of Texas at Austin, TX (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM)

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0031558

OSTI ID:: 2497851

Journal Information:: SPE Journal, Journal Name: SPE Journal Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 1; ISSN 1086-055X

Publisher:: Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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