Review of Steady-State Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media: Independent Variables, Universal Energy Efficiency Map, Critical Flow Conditions, Effective Characterization of Flow and Pore Network

Valavanides, Marios S.

doi:10.1007/s11242-018-1026-1

Cited by 22 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…Lastly, we may associate differential transversal areas to the thermodynamic velocities defined in equations (19) and (20). We use equations (23) and (24) to find…”

Section: Differential Transversal Area Distributionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Flow-Area Relations in Immiscible Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media

2020

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We present a theoretical framework for immiscible incompressible two-phase flow in homogeneous porous media that connects the distribution of local fluid velocities to the average seepage velocities. By dividing the pore area along a cross-section transversal to the average flow direction up into differential areas associated with the local flow velocities, we construct a distribution function that allows us not only to re-establish existing relationships between the seepage velocities of the immiscible fluids, but also to find new relations between their higher moments. We support and demonstrate the formalism through numerical simulations using a dynamic pore-network model for immiscible two-phase flow with two-and three-dimensional pore networks. Our numerical results are in agreement with the theoretical considerations.

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“…Lastly, we may associate differential transversal areas to the thermodynamic velocities defined in equations (19) and (20). We use equations (23) and (24) to find…”

Section: Differential Transversal Area Distributionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An example is Local Porosity Theory [12][13][14][15][16][17]. Another is De-Prof theory which is a mechanical model combined with non-equilibrium statistical mechanics based on a classification scheme of fluid configurations at the pore level [18][19][20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flow-Area Relations in Immiscible Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media

2020

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“…The deficiency is not accounted on the integration per se (as long as À by definition À represents a macroscopic quantity) but on its inadequacy in describing (uniquely) the flow conditions À as it brings no definite input to the momentum balance. The issue is discussed in two recent papers (Valavanides et al, 2016, Section 2;Valavanides, 2018). Additional comments are provided in Section 4.9 'Discussion of results' in the present work.…”

Section: Physically Admissible Flow Configurationsmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Such conditions, define a locus of optimum operating conditions or critical flow conditions, r*(Ca), for each oilwater-p.m. system (Valavanides, 2014 andValavanides, 2018). The locally maximum value in f EU,ij (Ca i , r j ) detected in the simulations per fixed Ca i , corresponds to a particular flow rate ratio value, r .…”

Section: Energy Efficiency Of Steady-state Two-phase Flow In Porous Mmentioning

confidence: 95%

Oil Fragmentation, Interfacial Surface Transport and Flow Structure Maps for Two-Phase Flow in Model Pore Networks. Predictions Based on Extensive, DeProF Model Simulations

Valavanides

2018

Oil & Gas Science and Technology - Rev. IFP Energies nouvel

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-In general, macroscopic two-phase flows in porous media form mixtures of connectedand disconnected-oil flows. The latter are classified as oil ganglion dynamics and drop traffic flow, depending on the characteristic size of the constituent fluidic elements of the non-wetting phase, namely, ganglia and droplets. These flow modes have been systematically observed during flow within model pore networks as well as real porous media. Depending on the flow conditions and on the physicochemical, size and network configuration of the system (fluids and porous medium), these flow modes occupy different volume fractions of the pore network. Extensive simulations implementing the DeProF mechanistic model for steady-state, one-dimensional, immiscible twophase flow in typical 3D model pore networks have been carried out to derive maps describing the dependence of the flow structure on capillary number, Ca, and flow rate ratio, r. The model is based on the concept of decomposition into prototype flows. Implementation of the DeProF algorithm, predicts key bulk and interfacial physical quantities, fully describing the interstitial flow structure: ganglion size and ganglion velocity distributions, fractions of mobilized/stranded oil, specific surface area of oil/water interfaces, velocity and volume fractions of mobilized and stranded interfaces, oil fragmentation, etc. The simulations span 5 orders of magnitude in Ca and r. Systems with various viscosity ratios and intermediate wettability have been examined. Flow of the nonwetting phase in disconnected form is significant and in certain cases of flow conditions the dominant flow mode. Systematic flow structure mutations with changing flow conditions have been identified. Some of them surface-up on the macroscopic scale and can be measured e.g. the reduced pressure gradient. Other remain in latency within the interstitial flow structure e.g. the volume fractions of À or fractional flows of oil through À connected-disconnected flows. Deeper within the disconnected-oil flow, the mutations between ganglion dynamics and drop traffic flow prevail. Mutations shift and/or become pronounced with viscosity disparity. They are more evident over variables describing the interstitial transport properties of process than variables describing volume fractions. This characteristic behavior is attributed to the interstitial balance between capillarity and bulk viscosity. Mean mobilization probability of i-class ganglia S 2.3 IFP Energies nouvelles International Conference Rencontres Scientifiques d'IFP Energies nouvellesNumber density of i-class ganglia S (15)Number of pore unit cells occupied by each i-class ganglion P

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“…Treating relative permeabilities as functions of the saturation is inefficient in providing a correct and specific-enough description of the process across the domain of all possible flow conditions. The issue is extensively discussed in [9]. A particular value in saturation does not necessarily imply that a unique disconnected structure (arrangement) of the NWP will settle-in.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Steady-State Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media: Laboratory Validation of Flow-Dependent Relative Permeability Scaling

et al. 2020

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The phenomenology of steady-state two-phase flow in porous media is recorded in SCAL relative permeability diagrams. Conventionally, relative permeabilities are considered to be functions of saturation. Yet, this has been put into challenge by theoretical, numerical and laboratory studies that have revealed a significant dependency on the flow rates. These studies suggest that relative permeability models should include the functional dependence on flow intensities. Just recently a general form of dependence has been inferred based on extensive simulations with the DeProF model for steady-state two-phase flows in pore networks. The simulations revealed a systematic dependence of the relative permeabilities on the local flow rate intensities that can be described analytically by a universal scaling functional form of the actual independent variables of the process, namely, the capillary number, Ca, and the flow rate ratio, r. In this work, we present the preliminary results of a systematic laboratory study using a high throughput core-flood experimentation setup, whereby SCAL measurements have been taken on sandstone core across different flow conditions -spanning 6 orders of magnitude on Ca and r. The scope is to provide a preliminary proof-of-concept, to assess the applicability of the model and validate its specificity. The proposed scaling opens new possibilities in improving SCAL protocols and other important applications, e.g. field scale simulators.

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Review of Steady-State Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media: Independent Variables, Universal Energy Efficiency Map, Critical Flow Conditions, Effective Characterization of Flow and Pore Network

Cited by 22 publications

References 70 publications

Flow-Area Relations in Immiscible Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media

Flow-Area Relations in Immiscible Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media

Oil Fragmentation, Interfacial Surface Transport and Flow Structure Maps for Two-Phase Flow in Model Pore Networks. Predictions Based on Extensive, DeProF Model Simulations

Steady-State Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media: Laboratory Validation of Flow-Dependent Relative Permeability Scaling

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