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Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and...
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Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical Processes and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2019) | Viewed by 46298

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Morteza Dejam

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Petroleum Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071-2000, USA
Interests: shear dispersion in double-porosity systems; block-to-block interaction processes in fractured porous media; geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO2); fluid flow and transport in shale and tight rocks; phase equilibria of confined fluids in nanopores, and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in sandstone and carbonate formations
Dr. Lamia Goual

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Petroleum Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82071-2000, USA
Interests: interfacial science and thermodynamics applied to flow in porous media with implementations to oil and gas recovery; geological storage of greenhouse gases; remediation of contaminated aquifers; interplay between fluid–fluid and fluid–rock interactions and their impact on phase behavior and transport, and asphaltene deposition

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fluid-saturated porous media are present in a variety of natural systems. Their performance is influenced and controlled by fluid flow and solute transport. Examples of natural porous media and their corresponding processes are multiphase flow in hydrocarbon reservoirs, geological storage of CO2, and contamination transport in aquifers. Many physical and chemical processes (including fluid flow, diffusion, dispersion, capillarity, reaction, dissolution, adsorption, swelling, and hydraulic fracturing) happen in porous media. These processes can be observed, studied, and modelled at a wide range of scales (from nanoscale to microscale or from laboratory scale to field scale). Understanding the transport phenomena in porous media, their experimental studies, and their theoretical modelling at different scales, as well as considering the uncertainties due to heterogeneities, are the aim of this Special Issue. Therefore, the focus here is on the advances in experimental and theoretical techniques to study fluid flow and solute transport in porous media.

Dr. Morteza Dejam
Dr. Lamia Goual
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Fluid flow
  • Solute transport
  • Porous media
  • Experimental study
  • Theoretical modelling

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 4351 KiB  
Article
An Improved Mathematical Model for Accurate Prediction of the Heavy Oil Production Rate during the SAGD Process
by Aria Rahimbakhsh, Morteza Sabeti and Farshid Torabi
Processes 2020, 8(2), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8020235 - 19 Feb 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3430
Abstract
Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is one of the most successful thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods for cold viscose oils. Several analytical and semi-analytical models have been theorized, yet the process needs more studies to be conducted to improve quick production rate predictions. [...] Read more.
Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is one of the most successful thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods for cold viscose oils. Several analytical and semi-analytical models have been theorized, yet the process needs more studies to be conducted to improve quick production rate predictions. Following the exponential geometry theory developed for finding the oil production rate, an upgraded predictive model is presented in this study. Unlike the exponential model, the current model divides the steam-oil interface into several segments, and then the heat and mass balances are applied to each of the segments. By manipulating the basic equations, the required formulas for estimating the oil drainage rate, location of interface, heat penetration depth of steam ahead of the interface, and the steam required for the operation are obtained theoretically. The output of the proposed theory, afterwards, is validated with experimental data, and then finalized with data from the real SAGD process in phase B of the underground test facility (UTF) project. According to the results, the model with a suitable heat penetration depth correlation can produce fairly accurate outputs, so the idea of using this model in field operations is convincing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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20 pages, 6332 KiB  
Article
Investigation of an Improved Polymer Flooding Scheme by Compositionally-Tuned Slugs
by Ryan Santoso, Victor Torrealba and Hussein Hoteit
Processes 2020, 8(2), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8020197 - 6 Feb 2020
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 2951
Abstract
Polymer flooding is an effective enhanced oil recovery technology used to reduce the mobility ratio and improve sweep efficiency. A new polymer injection scheme is investigated that relies on the cyclical injection of low-salinity, low-concentration polymer slugs chased by high-salinity, high-concentration polymer slugs. [...] Read more.
Polymer flooding is an effective enhanced oil recovery technology used to reduce the mobility ratio and improve sweep efficiency. A new polymer injection scheme is investigated that relies on the cyclical injection of low-salinity, low-concentration polymer slugs chased by high-salinity, high-concentration polymer slugs. The effectiveness of the process is a function of several reservoir and design parameters related to polymer type, concentration, salinity, and reservoir heterogeneity. We use reservoir simulations and design-of-experiments (DoE) to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed polymer injection scheme. We show how key objective functions, such as recovery factor and injectivity, are impacted by the reservoir and design parameters. In this study, simulations showed that the new slug-based process was always superior to the reference polymer injection scheme using the traditional continuous injection scheme. Our results show that the process is most effective when the polymer weight is high, corresponding to large inaccessible pore-volumes, which enhances polymer acceleration. High vertical heterogeneity typically reduces the process performance because of increased mixing in the reservoir. The significance of this process is that it allows for increased polymer solution viscosity in the reservoir without increasing the total mass of polymer, and without impairing polymer injectivity at the well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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20 pages, 5015 KiB  
Article
Simulation of Hydraulic Fracturing Using Different Mesh Types Based on Zero Thickness Cohesive Element
by Minwei Chen, Min Li, Yanzeng Wu and Boqi Kang
Processes 2020, 8(2), 189; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8020189 - 5 Feb 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3015
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing is a significant technique in petroleum engineering to enhance the production of shale gas or shale oil reservoir. The process of hydraulic fracturing is extremely complicated, referring to the deformation of solid formation, fluid flowing in the crack channel, and coupling [...] Read more.
Hydraulic fracturing is a significant technique in petroleum engineering to enhance the production of shale gas or shale oil reservoir. The process of hydraulic fracturing is extremely complicated, referring to the deformation of solid formation, fluid flowing in the crack channel, and coupling the solid with fluid. Simulation of hydraulic fracturing and understanding the course of the mechanism is still a challenging task. In this study, two hydraulic fracturing models, including the Khristianovic–Geertsma–de Klerk (KGD) problem and the hydraulic fracture (HF) intersection with the natural fracture (NF), based on the zero thickness pore pressure cohesive zone (PPCZ) element with contact friction is established. The element can be embedded into the edges of other elements to simulate the fracture initiation and propagation. However, the mesh type of the elements near the PPCZ element has influences on the accuracy and propagation profile. Three common types of mesh, triangle mesh, quadrangle mesh, and deformed quadrangle mesh, are all investigated in this paper. In addition, the infinite boundary condition (IBC) is also discussed in these models. Simulation indicates that the results of pore pressure for zero toughness regime simulated by the triangle mesh are much lower than any others at the early injection time. Secondly, the problem of hydraulic fracturing should be better used with the infinite boundary element (IBE). Moreover, suggestions for crack intersection on the proper mesh type are also given. The conclusions included in this article can be beneficial to research further naturally fractured reservoirs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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12 pages, 7349 KiB  
Article
Experimental Study on the Effect of Polymer Injection Timing on Oil Displacement in Porous Media
by Leiting Shi, Shijie Zhu, Zhidong Guo, Wensen Zhao, Xinsheng Xue, Xiao Wang and Zhongbin Ye
Processes 2020, 8(1), 93; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8010093 - 10 Jan 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2467
Abstract
It has been proven that polymer injection at early times is beneficial to offshore heavy oil recovery. It is of significant importance to optimize the polymer injection timing and decide the residual oil distribution after polymer flooding. Aiming at a specific offshore heavy [...] Read more.
It has been proven that polymer injection at early times is beneficial to offshore heavy oil recovery. It is of significant importance to optimize the polymer injection timing and decide the residual oil distribution after polymer flooding. Aiming at a specific offshore heavy oil reservoir in Bohai, China, the optimum polymer injection timing is investigated through laboratory experiments. The influence of polymer injection timing on oil displacement and remaining oil distribution is analyzed by combining macroscopic and microscopic flooding experiments. The results reveal that the optimum polymer injection timing should be close to the water breakthrough, i.e., just before the waterflooding front reaches the outlet of the core. In addition, the waterflooding front position is analytically solved by using the Buckley–Leverett method and verified by experimental results, which supply an approach to predict the polymer injection timing. When polymer is injected before the waterflood front reaches the outlet of the core, the mobility control ability of polymer solution can reduce the fraction of bypassed volume of the reservoir by waterflooding. The early injected polymer mainly enters the high permeability zone, which works positively in two ways. Firstly, it improves the oil displacement efficiency of the high permeability zone. Secondly, the polymer establishes a flow resistance in the high permeable zones, thus improving the sweep efficiency in the low and medium permeability zones. However, our residual oil distribution experiments illustrate that there is still a large amount of oil remaining in the low and medium permeability zones. Therefore, it is necessary to explore additional EOR methods to recover the abundant residual oil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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14 pages, 4267 KiB  
Article
Role of Ionic Headgroups on the Thermal, Rheological, and Foaming Properties of Novel Betaine-Based Polyoxyethylene Zwitterionic Surfactants for Enhanced Oil Recovery
by Muhammad Shahzad Kamal, Syed Muhammad Shakil Hussain and Lionel Talley Fogang
Processes 2019, 7(12), 908; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7120908 - 3 Dec 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2438
Abstract
Long-term thermal stability of surfactants under harsh reservoir conditions is one of the main challenges for surfactant injection. Most of the commercially available surfactants thermally degrade or precipitate when exposed to high-temperature and high-salinity conditions. In this work, we designed and synthesized three [...] Read more.
Long-term thermal stability of surfactants under harsh reservoir conditions is one of the main challenges for surfactant injection. Most of the commercially available surfactants thermally degrade or precipitate when exposed to high-temperature and high-salinity conditions. In this work, we designed and synthesized three novel betaine-based polyoxyethylene zwitterionic surfactants containing different head groups (carboxybetaine, sulfobetaine, and hydroxysulfobetaine) and bearing an unsaturated tail. The impact of the surfactant head group on the long-term thermal stability, foam stability, and surfactant–polymer interactions were examined. The thermal stability of the surfactants was assessed by monitoring the structural changes when exposed at high temperature (90 °C) for three months using 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and FTIR analysis. All surfactants were found thermally stable regardless of the headgroup and no structural changes were evidenced. The surfactant–polymer interactions were dominant in deionized water. However, in seawater, the surfactant addition had no effect on the rheological properties. Similarly, changing the headgroup of polyoxyethylene zwitterionic surfactants had no major effect on the foamability and foam stability. The findings of the present study reveal that the betaine-based polyoxyethylene zwitterionic surfactant can be a good choice for enhanced oil recovery application and the nature of the headgroup has no major impact on the thermal, rheological, and foaming properties of the surfactant in typical harsh reservoir conditions (high salinity, high temperature). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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22 pages, 3800 KiB  
Article
Transport and Deposition of Large Aspect Ratio Prolate and Oblate Spheroidal Nanoparticles in Cross Flow
by Hans O. Åkerstedt
Processes 2019, 7(12), 886; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7120886 - 28 Nov 2019
Viewed by 2175
Abstract
The objective of this paper was to study the transport and deposition of non-spherical oblate and prolate shaped particles for the flow in a tube with a radial suction velocity field, with an application to experiments related to composite manufacturing. The transport of [...] Read more.
The objective of this paper was to study the transport and deposition of non-spherical oblate and prolate shaped particles for the flow in a tube with a radial suction velocity field, with an application to experiments related to composite manufacturing. The transport of the non- spherical particles is governed by a convective diffusion equation for the probability density function, also called the Fokker–Planck equation, which is a function of the position and orientation angles. The flow is governed by the Stokes equation with an additional radial flow field. The concentration of particles is assumed to be dilute. In the solution of the Fokker–Planck equation, an expansion for small rotational Peclet numbers and large translational Peclet numbers is considered. The solution can be divided into an outer region and two boundary layer regions. The outer boundary layer region is governed by an angle-averaged convective-diffusion equation. The solution in the innermost boundary layer region is a diffusion equation including the radial variation and the orientation angles. Analytical deposition rates are calculated as a function of position along the tube axis. The contribution from the innermost boundary layer called steric- interception deposition is found to be very small. Higher order curvature and suction effects are found to increase deposition. The results are compared with results using a Lagrangian tracking method of the same flow configuration. When compared, the deposition rates are of the same order of magnitude, but the analytical results show a larger variation for different particle sizes. The results are also compared with numerical results, using the angle averaged convective-diffusion equation. The agreement between numerical and analytical results is good. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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13 pages, 2116 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Fines on Hydraulic Conductivity of Lawrencepur, Chenab and Ravi Sand
by Tanveer Ahmed Khan, Khalid Farooq, Mirza Muhammad, Mudasser Muneer Khan, Syyed Adnan Raheel Shah, Muhammad Shoaib, Muhammad Asif Aslam and Syed Safdar Raza
Processes 2019, 7(11), 796; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7110796 - 2 Nov 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3214
Abstract
The amount of fines in sand greatly influence the permeability of sandy soils. Thus, this research was conducted to study the effect of plastic and non-plastic fines on the permeability of three types of sands (Lawrencepur sand, Chenab sand and Ravi sand). For [...] Read more.
The amount of fines in sand greatly influence the permeability of sandy soils. Thus, this research was conducted to study the effect of plastic and non-plastic fines on the permeability of three types of sands (Lawrencepur sand, Chenab sand and Ravi sand). For this purpose, plastic and non-plastic fines were collected from different location of Lahore. Samples were prepared by mixing plastic and non-plastic fines into each type of sand separately, in amounts ranging from 0% to 50% with increments of five percent. Overall 63 samples were prepared. Sieve analysis and hydrometric analysis were performed to obtain particle size distribution for each sample. Atterberg’s limits were also determined and each sample was classified according to the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS). Compaction tests were performed on all samples as per the procedure in a standard Proctor test. The test samples were compacted in permeability molds with optimum moisture contents to obtain the density, as per a standard Proctor test. Hydraulic conductivity tests were performed on all sixty-three samples using a constant head permeameter and a falling head permeameter. Permeability results were plotted against the percentage of fines added. It was noted from the curves that the permeability of sand-fine mixtures shows a decreasing trend with the addition of fine contents. A few trials were performed to formulate a correlation. Validation of the correlation was performed with the results of 52 data sets from the field. Finally, the devised correlation was compared with three empirical equations proposed by Mujtaba, Kozeny–Carman and Hazen. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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17 pages, 6538 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigation of Grout Nonlinear Flow Behavior through Rough Fractures
by Yuhao Jin, Lijun Han, Changyu Xu, Qingbin Meng, Zhenjun Liu and Yijiang Zong
Processes 2019, 7(10), 736; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7100736 - 14 Oct 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1950
Abstract
This research experimentally analyzed the impacts of various water cement (W/C) ratios of ultrafine cement grout material and normal loads FN applied to fractures on grout nonlinear flow behavior through a rough plexiglass fractured sample. An effective self-made apparatus was [...] Read more.
This research experimentally analyzed the impacts of various water cement (W/C) ratios of ultrafine cement grout material and normal loads FN applied to fractures on grout nonlinear flow behavior through a rough plexiglass fractured sample. An effective self-made apparatus was designed and manufactured to conduct the stress-dependent grout flow tests on the plexiglass sample containing rough fractures. At each W/C ratio, the grout pressure P increased from 0 to 0.9 MPa, and the normal loads FN ranged from 666.3 to 1467.8 N. The results of the experiments indicate that (1) the Forchheimer’s law can be used to express the results of grout nonlinear flow through rough fractures. Moreover, both nonlinear coefficient a and linear coefficient b in Forchheimer’s law decreased with the increase of the W/C ratio, but increased with the increase of the FN value. (2) For normalized transmissivity, with the increase of Re, the decline of the T/T0–Re curves means that the grout flow behavior through the fracture mainly went through three stages: the viscosity effect, then the weak inertia effect, and finally the strong inertia effect. The three stages showed that with the increase of Re, the grout flow state changed from linear to nonlinear. Moreover, with the increase of the W/C ratio, the Forchheimer coefficient β decreased. (3) At a given FN, the critical grout hydraulic gradient Jc decreased, but the critical Reynolds number Rec increased as the W/C ratio increased; at a given W/C ratio, Jc increased, but Rec decreased as FN increased. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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19 pages, 33352 KiB  
Article
The Minimum Safe Thickness and Catastrophe Process for Water Inrush of a Karst Tunnel Face with Multi Fractures
by Jiaqi Guo, Yuan Qian, Jianxun Chen and Fan Chen
Processes 2019, 7(10), 686; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7100686 - 2 Oct 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2787
Abstract
Water inrush of tunnel face is one of the most common geological disasters during tunnel construction in China. Aiming at the rock mass with multi fractures in water-resistant strata ahead of karst tunnel, the compressive-shear cracking property is analyzed by fracture mechanics theory [...] Read more.
Water inrush of tunnel face is one of the most common geological disasters during tunnel construction in China. Aiming at the rock mass with multi fractures in water-resistant strata ahead of karst tunnel, the compressive-shear cracking property is analyzed by fracture mechanics theory and the change law of rock bridge shear strength with branch crack propagated length under karst water pressure and geo-stress is studied according to Mohr-Coulomb strength criterion. Moreover, the critical water pressure of water-resistant strata with multi fractures under tension-shear failure is deduced. The safe thickness of water-resistant strata with multi fractures ahead of karst tunnel is established based on two band theory and critical water pressure, and the influence of karst water pressure, initial crack length, crack spacing, array pitch of cracks, lateral pressure coefficient and the angle between the crack and the maximum principal stress on the minimum safe thickness of water-resistant strata are discussed. A 3 Dimension Distinct Element Code (3DEC) considering the fluid-solid coupling effect and structural characteristics of rock mass is adopted to study the catastrophe process and the influence of karst cavity scale on displacement and seepage field in water-resistant rock mass ahead of tunnel in the process of sequential excavation. The numerical simulation results show that: The transition from the single effect of unloading on the extrusion displacement of karst tunnel face to combined action of unloading and karst water pressure occurs with the tunnel face advance; The displacement at each measuring point in water-resistant strata continues to increase in the process of tunnel excavation; The extrusion displacement and water flow velocity in tunnel face suddenly increase when the water inrush pathway is about to form; With the increase of karst cavity size, the minimum thickness of water-resistant strata, the displacement of measuring point and pore pressure of crack increase. The study results provide a reference for early warning and prevention of water inrush in karst tunnel face. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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9 pages, 3020 KiB  
Article
The Control of Apparent Wettability on the Efficiency of Surfactant Flooding in Tight Carbonate Rocks
by Harris Sajjad Rabbani, Yossra Osman, Ibrahim Almaghrabi, Mohammad Azizur Rahman and Thomas Seers
Processes 2019, 7(10), 684; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7100684 - 2 Oct 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2070
Abstract
In this research, a state-of-the-art experimental core flooding setup is used to assess the efficiency of surfactant flooding as an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technique in tight carbonate rocks. Specifically, we investigate the role of apparent wettability in governing the effectiveness of surfactant [...] Read more.
In this research, a state-of-the-art experimental core flooding setup is used to assess the efficiency of surfactant flooding as an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technique in tight carbonate rocks. Specifically, we investigate the role of apparent wettability in governing the effectiveness of surfactant flooding. A series of flooding experiments with well-defined boundary conditions were performed on the low permeability core plug samples of Indiana Limestone (calcite-cemented carbonate grainstones). Experiments were conducted on three samples exhibiting differing apparent wetting characteristics: strongly oil-wet, moderately oil-wet and weakly oil-wet. Initially, the oil-saturated core samples were flooded with brine until the residual oil saturation was achieved, with surfactant flooding performed as a tertiary recovery technique. Interestingly, our experimental results reveal that the efficiency of surfactant flooding increases with the degree of oil-wetness of the tight carbonate rocks. The strongly oil-wet core showed the highest recovery, while the weakly oil-wet core manifested the least additional oil recovery associated with surfactant flooding. Moreover, we provided a pore-scale argument that explains the macroscopic role of surfactant flooding in tight carbonate rocks. We hypothesized that at the pore-scale the presence of thin film plays a critical role in controlling the effectiveness of surfactant flooding in the strongly oil-wet tight carbonate rocks. Overall, we believe that our macroscopic study provides novel insight into the dynamics of surfactant flooding in tight carbonate reservoirs and can aid in optimizing the field development plans for oil recovery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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19 pages, 2901 KiB  
Article
Water-Gas Two-Phase Flow Behavior of Multi-Fractured Horizontal Wells in Shale Gas Reservoirs
by Lei Li, Guanglong Sheng and Yuliang Su
Processes 2019, 7(10), 664; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7100664 - 27 Sep 2019
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2256
Abstract
Hydraulic fracturing is a necessary method to develop shale gas reservoirs effectively and economically. However, the flow behavior in multi-porosity fractured reservoirs is difficult to characterize by conventional methods. In this paper, combined with apparent porosity/permeability model of organic matter, inorganic matter and [...] Read more.
Hydraulic fracturing is a necessary method to develop shale gas reservoirs effectively and economically. However, the flow behavior in multi-porosity fractured reservoirs is difficult to characterize by conventional methods. In this paper, combined with apparent porosity/permeability model of organic matter, inorganic matter and induced fractures, considering the water film in unstimulated reservoir volume (USRV) region water and bulk water in effectively stimulated reservoir volume (ESRV) region, a multi-media water-gas two-phase flow model was established. The finite difference is used to solve the model and the water-gas two-phase flow behavior of multi-fractured horizontal wells is obtained. Mass transfer between different-scale media, the effects of pore pressure on reservoirs and fluid properties at different production stages were considered in this model. The influence of the dynamic reservoir physical parameters on flow behavior and gas production in multi-fractured horizontal wells is studied. The results show that the properties of the total organic content (TOC) and the inherent porosity of the organic matter affect gas production after 40 days. With the gradual increase of production time, the gas production rate decreases rapidly compared with the water production rate, and the gas saturation in the inorganic matter of the ESRV region gradually decreases. The ignorance of stress sensitivity would cause the gas production increase, and the ignorance of organic matter shrinkage decrease the gas production gradually. The water film mainly affects gas production after 100 days, while the bulk water has a greater impact on gas production throughout the whole period. The research provides a new method to accurately describe the two-phase fluid flow behavior in different scale media of fractured shale gas reservoirs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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14 pages, 12454 KiB  
Article
Role of Counterions and Nature of Spacer on Foaming Properties of Novel Polyoxyethylene Cationic Gemini Surfactants
by Shams Kalam, Muhammad Shahzad Kamal, Shirish Patil and S. M. Shakil Hussain
Processes 2019, 7(8), 502; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7080502 - 2 Aug 2019
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3526
Abstract
Application of foam in various upstream operations, such as in enhanced oil recovery, has gained significant attention in recent years. A good foaming agent should generate a stable foam, must be thermally stable (>90 °C, typical reservoir temperature), must have a high tolerance [...] Read more.
Application of foam in various upstream operations, such as in enhanced oil recovery, has gained significant attention in recent years. A good foaming agent should generate a stable foam, must be thermally stable (>90 °C, typical reservoir temperature), must have a high tolerance to salinity, and should have low adsorption on the reservoir rock. In view of this, four thermally stable and salt-tolerant polyoxyethylene cationic gemini surfactants were synthesized with different spacers (mono phenyl and biphenyl) and different counterions (Br− and Cl−). Foaming properties were evaluated using initial foam generation, foam volume stability at a given time, bubble count, and average foam bubble radius. The effect of counterions and nature of spacers, with and without the presence of salts, on foaming properties was evaluated. It was found that number of phenyl rings (mono phenyl and biphenyl) had no significant effect on foamability and foam stability in the presence or absence of salts. However, the effect of counterions was prominent in deionized water. In deionized water, foam generated by gemini surfactants with bromide as a counterion was more stable compared to the foam generated using the surfactant containing chloride as the counterion. In saline solution, the type of counterion had no effect on the foamability or foam stability of the foam generated using synthesized cationic gemini surfactants. The foam volume stability decreased by the addition of salts; however, a further increase in salt concentration enhanced the foam volume stability. The synthesized surfactants showed good thermal stability, salt tolerance, and foaming properties and can be an attractive choice for upstream applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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17 pages, 3099 KiB  
Article
Numerical and Analytical Investigation of an Unsteady Thin Film Nanofluid Flow over an Angular Surface
by Haroon Ur Rasheed, Zeeshan Khan, Ilyas Khan, Dennis Ling Chuan Ching and Kottakkaran Sooppy Nisar
Processes 2019, 7(8), 486; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7080486 - 1 Aug 2019
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2873
Abstract
In the present study, we examine three-dimensional thin film flow over an angular rotating disk plane in the presence of nanoparticles. The governing basic equations are transformed into ordinary differential equations by using similarity variables. The series solution has been obtained by the [...] Read more.
In the present study, we examine three-dimensional thin film flow over an angular rotating disk plane in the presence of nanoparticles. The governing basic equations are transformed into ordinary differential equations by using similarity variables. The series solution has been obtained by the homotopy asymptotic method (HAM) for axial velocity, radial velocity, darning flow, induced flow, and temperature and concentration profiles. For the sake of accuracy, the results are also clarified numerically with the help of the BVPh2- midpoint method. The effect of embedded parameters such as the Brownian motion parameter Nb, Schmidt number Sc, thermophoretic parameter and Prandtl number Pr are explored on velocity, temperature and concentration profiles. It is observed that with the increase in the unsteadiness factor S, the thickness of the momentum boundary layer increases, while the Sherwood number Sc, with the association of heat flow from sheet to fluid, reduces with the rise in S and results in a cooling effect. It is also remarkable to note that the thermal boundary layer increases with the increase of the Brownian motion parameter Nb and Prandtl number Pr, hindering the cooling process resulting from heat transfer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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14 pages, 2917 KiB  
Article
Effect of the Heterogeneity on Sorptivity in Sandstones with High and Low Permeability in Water Imbibition Process
by Yang Wu, Yixin Zhao and Peng Li
Processes 2019, 7(5), 260; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7050260 - 6 May 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3045
Abstract
Capillary imbibition in unsaturated rocks is important for the exploitation of tight reservoirs, such as oil and gas reservoirs. However, the physical properties of natural rocks tend to be relatively uneven, mainly in the heterogeneity of material composition and pore space. Reservoir heterogeneity [...] Read more.
Capillary imbibition in unsaturated rocks is important for the exploitation of tight reservoirs, such as oil and gas reservoirs. However, the physical properties of natural rocks tend to be relatively uneven, mainly in the heterogeneity of material composition and pore space. Reservoir heterogeneity is an important factor affecting the exploitation of oil fields and other reservoirs, which can be evaluated by the pore structure tortuosity fractal dimension DT of rock. The greater the value of DT, the stronger the heterogeneity of sandstone. Two types of sandstone with high and low permeability were selected to study the effect of heterogeneity on the imbibition behavior by using high-resolution X-ray imaging and neutron radiography. Quantitative results of the wetting front position for each specimen were extracted from the neutron images. The wetting front advanced linearly with the power index of time t1/(2DT). Different values of DT were selected to estimate and discuss the effect of the heterogeneity on sorptivity. A modified L-W equation was employed to predict the sorptivity. Comparing with the experimental results, the heterogeneity plays a significant role in determining the sorptivity. The modified model provides a reference for the prediction of the sorptivity of the same types of sandstones studied in this paper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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12 pages, 6508 KiB  
Article
Application of VES Acid System on Carbonate Rocks with Uninvaded Matrix for Acid Etching and Fracture Propagation
by Yahong Wu, Weiwei Luo, Xunan Jia, Haoqing Fang, Honggang Wang and Shuai Yu
Processes 2019, 7(3), 159; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7030159 - 15 Mar 2019
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3625
Abstract
We investigated the performance of viscoelastic surfactant (VES) solution when applied in treatment on the uninvaded matrix using core flooding tests to analyze the impact of VES/CaCl2 concentration on fluid viscosity. In this paper, core samples from Tahe carbonate reservoir, with an [...] Read more.
We investigated the performance of viscoelastic surfactant (VES) solution when applied in treatment on the uninvaded matrix using core flooding tests to analyze the impact of VES/CaCl2 concentration on fluid viscosity. In this paper, core samples from Tahe carbonate reservoir, with an average permeability less than 0.02 × 10−3 μm−2 and a small average porosity in the range of approximately 0.04–5.24% are used in the experiments. Computed tomography (CT) scanning is used to provide a detailed description of inner structure variation of cores after the acid system treatment. The results confirmed that a large pressure difference contributed to fracture propagation and the relative permeability of water increased significantly after the treatment. It was also found that higher concentrations of VES and/or Ca2+ induced higher viscosity and a stronger fracturing effect, while a lower concentration improved the reaction rates and etching effect, generating small worm holes inside the core. Foam in-situ produced during the etching process is the major contributor to the fluid viscosity enhancement. The permeability of fracture formed on the surface of the core is more sensitive to the confining pressure. These findings can help better understand the rheological properties of the acid system and etching and fracturing mechanisms during acid treatment, and which provides instructions for field implementation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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17 pages, 8824 KiB  
Article
Analysis on Water Inrush Process of Tunnel with Large Buried Depth and High Water Pressure
by Weimin Yang, Zhongdong Fang, Hao Wang, Liping Li, Shaoshuai Shi, Ruosong Ding, Lin Bu and Meixia Wang
Processes 2019, 7(3), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7030134 - 5 Mar 2019
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3863
Abstract
In order to explore the catastrophic evolution process for karst cave water inrush in large buried depth and high water pressure tunnels, a model test system was developed, and a similar fluid–solid coupled material was found. A model of the catastrophic evolution of [...] Read more.
In order to explore the catastrophic evolution process for karst cave water inrush in large buried depth and high water pressure tunnels, a model test system was developed, and a similar fluid–solid coupled material was found. A model of the catastrophic evolution of water inrush was developed based on the Xiema Tunnel, and the experimental section was simulated using the finite element method. By analyzing the interaction between groundwater and the surrounding rocks during tunnel excavation, the law of occurrence of water inrush disaster was summarized. The water inrush process of a karst cave containing high-pressure water was divided into three stages: the production of a water flowing fracture, the expansion of the water flowing fracture, and the connection of the water flowing fracture. The main cause of water inrush in karst caves is the penetration and weakening of high-pressure water on the surrounding rock. This effect is becoming more and more obvious as tunnel excavation progresses. The numerical simulation results showed that the outburst prevention thickness of the surrounding rock is 4.5 m, and that of the model test result is 5 m. Thus, the results of the two methods are relatively close to each other. This work is important for studying the impact of groundwater on underground engineering, and it is of great significance to avoid water inrush in tunnels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Fluid Flow and Solute Transport in Porous Media)
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