Rate-Controlled Porosimetry: A State-of-the-Art Review

Abstract

Rate-controlled porosimetry is a powerful technique for studying the pore structure of porous media and the physical properties of porous media. This technique involves injecting and extracting a non-wetting fluid at a controlled rate into and from a porous medium, resulting in a fluctuating capillary pressure trace as a function of the injected non-wetting fluid volume. This review introduces the state-of-the-art rate-controlled porosimeters and techniques for studying geological porous media and the advancements made in our understanding of rate-controlled immiscible displacement processes. The insights gained from these studies are synthesized to facilitate cross-disciplinary research into the influence of pore structure on the petrophysical properties of geological porous media. Applications include enhanced oil recovery, site characterization for geological CO2 storage, assessing the integrity of engineered barrier systems for safe nuclear waste disposal, and improving pore-scale models.