A Study of Immiscible Fingering in Linear Models

Abstract

Recent improvements in processes for recovering viscous reserves has renewed interest in the phenomenon of immiscible fingering. This paper describes studies of immiscible fingering in linearHele-Shaw and bead-packed models. Immiscible fingers were readily initiated in all models. The fingers, however, were damped out before traveling very far in the uniform bead packs that contained connate water. The damping mechanism is believed due to the movement of the two phases in a direction transverse to the direction of gross flow.To study the transverse flow phenomenon under controlled conditions, oil and water were injected simultaneously and side by side in linear models. Transition zones were formed that grew broader as the distance from the inlet increased. The saturation distribution in the transition zones could be described mathematically by an "immiscible dispersion coefficient" and the well known error function solution of the dispersion equation. The immiscible dispersion coefficients were found to be proportional to the interstitial velocity and proportional to the product of the bead diameter and packing inhomogeneity factor.

A linear stability analysis for immiscible displacements

“…Our point of view appears to be supported by the observations of Perkins and Johnston (1969), who performed displacements of oil by water in Hele-Shaw cells together with similar experiments in bead packs. They observed that, although there are some similarities between flow in porous media and flow in a Hele-Shaw cell, there are also noticeable differences.…”

“…In an immiscible displacement, there are two distinct phases present, even though there may be significant mass transfer across individual phase interfaces and composition gradients within adjoining phases. The inherently unstable nature of immiscible displacements with unfavorable viscosity ratios is well documented in consolidated media with (Everett et al t950;Chuoke et al 1959) and without (Chuoke et al, 1959) connate water and in unconsolidated media with (Richardson and Perkins 1957;Perkins and Johnston 1969;Hagoort 1974;Peters and Flock 1981) and without (Engelberts and Klinkenberg 1951;Van Meurs 1957;Perkins and Johnston 1969;Peters and Flock 1981) connate water.…”

“…We will focus our attention here upon immiscible displacements (Engelberts and Kinkenberg 1951;Chuoke et al 1959;Perkins and Johnston 1969;Hill and Parlange 1972;Gupta and Greenkorn 1974;White et al 1976). In an immiscible displacement, there are two distinct phases present, even though there may be significant mass transfer across individual phase interfaces and composition gradients within adjoining phases.…”

Characterization of viscous fingering during displacements of low tension natural surfactant in fractured multi-layered heavy oil systems

“…Benham and Olson (1963) 1963 Their experimental studies approved the results of the work that has been done by van Meurs (1957). Perkins andJohnston (1969) 1969 They illustrated that existence of connate water results in breaking up the fingers into graded saturation zone at the early stage of displacements. Gupta et al (1971Gupta et al ( ) 1971 They expressed the impact of local macroscopic irregularity on the fingering behavior in the porous media.…”

Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Water in Oil Transverse Dispersion in Porous Media

“…A18 19, 20and 22 in Appendix, the volume and velocity of invaded water in oil layer are the function of collision angle and O/W viscosity (μ o /μ w ) and thickness ratio (h w /h o ). For the average evalution, the collision angle was about 45 o with respect to the main flow direction (Perkins, 1969).…”