Prediction of fluid topology and relative permeability in imbibition in sandstone rock by direct numerical simulation

Alpak, Faruk O.; Berg, Steffen; Zacharoudiou, Ioannis

doi:10.1016/j.advwatres.2018.09.001

Cited by 45 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…A consistent comparison to the simulations was achieved by mapping the experimental distributions on the PNM and calculating the Euler characteristic there. The experimental trend is consistent with direct image-based calculations [Alpak et al, 2018]. The effect of this on the Euler characteristic was partly compensated by redundant loops in the modelled non-wetting phase distribution being removed too quickly.…”

Section: Connectivitysupporting

confidence: 83%

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Verifying pore network models of imbibition in rocks using time-resolved synchrotron imaging

Bultreys¹,

Singh²,

Raeini³

et al. 2019

Preprint

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At the pore scale, slow invasion of a wetting fluid in porous materials is often modelled with quasi-static approximations which only consider capillary forces in the form of simple pore filling rules. The appropriateness of this approximation, often applied in pore network models, is contested in literature, reflecting the difficulty of predicting imbibition relative permeability with these models. However, validation by sole comparison to continuum-scale experiments is prone to induce model overfitting. It has therefore remained unclear whether difficulties generalizing the model performance are due to network extraction, the pore filling rules, or whether a quasi-static description is useful at all. Here, we address this by examining whether such a model can predict the pore-scale fluid distributions underlying the behaviour at the continuum scale. To this end, we compare the fluid arrangement evolution measured in fast synchrotron micro-CT experiments on two rock types to quasi-static simulations which implement capillary-dominated pore filling and snap-off, including a sophisticated model for cooperative pore filling. The results indicate that pore network models with appropriate pore filling rules can in principle obtain a good first-order prediction of the upscaled flow properties of strongly-wetted rocks at low capillary numbers.

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Section: Connectivitysupporting

confidence: 83%

“…. rari and Lunati, 2013;Shams et al, 2018;Alpak et al, 2018;McClure et al, 2018], it remains desirable to define a more conceptual model which describes the emergence of structures at the scale of fluid clusters for upscaling [Hilfer et al, 2015].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Verifying pore network models of imbibition in rocks using time-resolved synchrotron imaging

Bultreys¹,

Singh²,

Raeini³

et al. 2019

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In recent years, several studies have sought to validate image-based models against experimental micro-computedtomography (micro-CT) results including pore scale fluid distribution and topology [21,28,[30][31][32][33][34]. Akai et al [30] simulated an unsteady-state waterflooding experiment on a mixedwet carbonate rock using the lattice Boltzmann method incorporating locally measured contact angles [35].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pore-by-pore modeling, analysis, and prediction of two-phase flow in mixed-wet rocks

et al. 2020

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A pore-network model is an upscaled representation of the pore space and fluid displacement, which is used to simulate two-phase flow through porous media. We use the results of pore-scale imaging experiments to calibrate and validate our simulations, and specifically to find the pore-scale distribution of wettability. We employ energy balance to estimate an average, thermodynamic, contact angle in the model, which is used as the initial estimate of contact angle. We then adjust the contact angle of each pore to match the observed fluid configurations in the experiment as a nonlinear inverse problem. The proposed algorithm is implemented on two sets of steady state micro-computed-tomography experiments for water-wet and mixed-wet Bentheimer sandstone. As a result of the optimization, the pore-by-pore error between the model and experiment is decreased to less than that observed between repeat experiments on the same rock sample. After calibration and matching, the model predictions for capillary pressure and relative permeability are in good agreement with the experiments. The proposed algorithm leads to a distribution of contact angle around the thermodynamic contact angle. We show that the contact angle is spatially correlated over around 4 pore lengths, while larger pores tend to be more oil-wet. Using randomly assigned distributions of contact angle in the model results in poor predictions of relative permeability and capillary pressure, particularly for the mixed-wet case.

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“…In recent years, the finite element method has been widely used in the study of rock breaking problems [4][5][6][7][8][9]. Jaime [10] employed the Lagrangian finite element method in modeling the rock cutting process.…”

Section: Finite Element Simulation Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cutter Load Distribution Analysis and Crown Shape Optimal Design of Complex Curved PDC Bit

2019

J. Eng. Technol. Sci.

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When drilling in hard rock formations, the wear of the complex curved PDC bit is extremely uneven. To solve this problem, a numerical simulation method was used to analyze the load distribution law of the cutters and the crown shape of the complex curved PDC bit was optimized. The simulation results showed that: 1) along the radial direction of the bit, the axial load on the cutters increased first and then decreased, while the radial load decreased first and then increased; 2) the axial load on the cutters was the largest at the nose and taper area of the bit, while the radial load on the cutters was the largest at the center and shoulder area of the bit; 3) the influence of the inner cone angle on the cutting load was mainly concentrated in the bit crown's inner cone area, while the influence of the outer arc radius on the cutting load was mainly concentrated in the bit crown nose and taper areas. Based on these conclusions, the crown shape of the complex curved PDC bit was optimized and a field test was carried out. The test results showed that, compared with the original complex curved PDC bit, the average bit life and drilling efficiency of the new designed bit was increased by 20% and 18%, respectively, especially in hard rock drilling. The average drilling efficiency of the new designed bit was increased by 50%.

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Prediction of fluid topology and relative permeability in imbibition in sandstone rock by direct numerical simulation

Cited by 45 publications

References 60 publications

Verifying pore network models of imbibition in rocks using time-resolved synchrotron imaging

Verifying pore network models of imbibition in rocks using time-resolved synchrotron imaging

Pore-by-pore modeling, analysis, and prediction of two-phase flow in mixed-wet rocks

Cutter Load Distribution Analysis and Crown Shape Optimal Design of Complex Curved PDC Bit

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