Pore-scale imaging and modelling – digital core analysis is becoming a routine service in the oil gas industry, has potential applications contaminant transport carbon dioxide storage. This paper briefly describes underlying technology, namely of pore space rocks from nanometre scale upwards, coupled with suite different numerical techniques for simulating single multiphase flow through these images. Three example are then described, illustrating range scientific problems that can be...

Contact angle is a principal control of the flow multiple fluid phases through porous media; however its measurement on other than flat surfaces remains challenge. A new method presented for contact between immiscible fluids at pore scale reservoir conditions (10 MPa and 50 °C) inside quarry limestone use X-ray microtomography. It applied to super-critical CO2–brine–carbonate system by resampling micro-CT data onto planes orthogonal lines, allowing vectors be traced along grain surface...

A generalized network extraction workflow is developed for parameterizing three-dimensional (3D) images of porous media. The aim this to reduce the uncertainties in conventional modeling predictions introduced due oversimplification complex pore geometries encountered natural serves as a coarse discretization surface generated from medial-axis transformation 3D image. This divides void space into individual pores and then subdivides each sub-elements called half-throat connections. Each...

The complexity of unconventional rock systems is expressed both in the compositional variance microstructure and extensive heterogeneity pore space. Visualizing quantifying oil shale before after pyrolysis permits a more accurate determination petrophysical properties which are important modeling hydrocarbon production potential. We characterize microstructural using X-ray micro-tomography (µCT), automated ultra-high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), MAPS Mineralogy (Modular...

We present predictions of transport through micro-CT images porous media that include the analysis correlation structure, velocity, and dynamics evolving plume. simulate solute millimeter-sized three-dimensional a beadpack, sandstone, carbonate, representing with an increasing degree pore-scale complexity. The Navier-Stokes equations are solved to compute flow field streamline simulation approach is used move particles by advection, while random walk method employed represent diffusion. show...

We simulate transport of a solute through three-dimensional images different rock samples, with resolutions few microns, representing geological media increasing pore-scale complexity: sandpack, Berea sandstone, and Portland limestone. predict the propagators (concentration as function distance) measured on similar cores in nuclear magnetic resonance experiments dispersion coefficient Péclet number time. The behavior is explained using continuous time random walks truncated power-law...

Understanding the pore-scale dynamics of two-phase fluid flow in permeable media is important many processes such as water infiltration soils, oil recovery, and geo-sequestration CO2. The two most that compete during displacement a non-wetting by wetting are pore-filling or piston-like snap-off; this latter process can lead to trapping phase. We present three-dimensional dynamic visualization study using fast synchrotron X-ray micro-tomography provide new insights into these conducting...

Geological carbon dioxide storage must be designed such that the CO2 cannot escape from rock formation into which it is injected, and often simple stratigraphic trapping insufficient. can trapped in pore space as droplets surrounded by water through capillary trapping. X-ray microtomography was used to image, at a resolution of 6.6 μm, pore-scale arrangement these three carbonates two sandstones. The pressures temperatures were representative typical formations, while chemical equilibrium...

The effect of pore-scale heterogeneity on non-Darcy flow behaviour is investigated by means direct simulations 3-D images a beadpack, Bentheimer sandstone and Estaillades carbonate. critical Reynolds number indicating the cessation creeping Darcy regime in carbonate two orders magnitude smaller than sandstone, three beadpack. It inferred from examination field features that emergence steady eddies pore space at elevated fluid velocities accounts for early transition away regime. coefficient...

A new approach is presented to measure the in-situ contact angle (θ) between immiscible fluids, applied segmented pore-scale X-ray images. We first identify and mesh fluid/fluid fluid/solid interfaces. Gaussian smoothing this eliminate artifacts associated with voxelized nature of image, while preserving large-scale features rock surface. Then, for interface we apply an additional adjustment impose a constant curvature. then track three-phase line, two vectors that have direction...

Significance In many important processes that control <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">C</mml:mi> mathvariant="normal">O</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:msub> </mml:math> storage in aquifers, oil recovery, and gas exchange leaves, for instance, flow is controlled by the interaction of immiscible fluids with a rough surface. We use micrometer-resolution X-ray imaging to look inside...

We used X-ray micro-tomography to image the in situ wettability, distribution of contact angles, at pore scale calcite cores from a producing hydrocarbon reservoir subsurface conditions. The angle was measured hundreds thousands points for three samples after twenty volumes brine flooding.We found wide range angles with values both above and below 90°. hypothesized cause wettability alteration by an adsorbed organic layer on surfaces contacted crude oil primary drainage observed Scanning...

Fast synchrotron-based X-ray microtomography was used to image the injection of super-critical $$\hbox {CO}_{2}$$ under subsurface conditions into a brine-saturated carbonate sample at pore-scale with voxel size $$3.64\,\upmu \hbox {m}$$ and temporal resolution 45 s. Capillary pressure measured from images by finding curvature terminal menisci both connected disconnected clusters. We provide an analysis three individual dynamic drainage events elevated temperatures pressures on tens seconds...

Quantifying CO2 transport and average effective reaction rates in the subsurface is essential to assess risks associated with underground carbon capture storage. We use X-ray microtomography investigate dynamic pore structure evolution situ at temperatures pressures representative of reservoirs aquifers. A 4 mm diameter Ketton carbonate core injected CO2-saturated brine 50 °C 10 MPa while tomographic images are taken 15 min intervals a 3.8 μm spatial resolution over period 21/2 h. An...

Abstract We use high‐resolution three‐dimensional X‐ray imaging to study hydrogen injection and withdrawal in the pore space of Bentheimer sandstone. The results are compared with a replicate experiment using nitrogen. observe less trapping because initial saturation after drainage is lower due channeling. Remarkably we that imbibition, if sample imaged again 12 hr, there significant rearrangement trapped hydrogen. Many smaller ganglia disappear while larger swell, no detectable change...

Green hydrogen, produced from surplus electricity during peak production, can be injected into subsurface reservoirs and retrieved high-demand periods. In this study, X-ray tomography was employed to examine hysteresis resulting repeated hydrogen injection withdrawal. An unsteady state experiment performed evaluate the distribution of brine after drainage imbibition cycles: images pore-space configuration fluids were taken immediately once had stopped waiting for a period 16 h with no flow....

We provide a physically based explanation for the complex macroscopic behavior of dispersion in porous media as function Peclet number, Pe , using pore‐scale network model that accurately predicts experimental dependence longitudinal coefficient, D L on . The asymptotic coefficient is only reached after solute has traveled through large number pores at high This implies preasymptotic norm, even experiments statistically homogeneous media. Interpreting transport continuous time random walk,...

We study macroscopic (centimeter scale) dispersion using pore‐scale network simulation. A Lagrangian‐based transport model incorporating flow and diffusion is applied in a diamond lattice of throats with square cross section whose radius distribution the same as computed for Berea sandstone. use physically consistent rules combination stream‐tube routing ideal mixing to particles across pore junctions. The influence both heterogeneity high Peclet numbers results asymptotic behavior only...

Abstract We have investigated the effect of wettability carbonate rocks on morphologies remaining oil after sequential and brine injection in a capillary‐dominated flow regime at elevated pressure. The Ketton limestone was altered situ using an phase doped with fatty acid which produced mixed‐wet conditions (the contact angle where contacted solid surface, measured directly from images, θ=180°, while brine‐filled regions remained water‐wet), whereas untreated rock (without oil) weakly...

While geological carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) storage could contribute to reducing global emissions, it must be designed such that the CO cannot escape from porous rock into which is injected. An important mechanism immobilize , preventing escape, capillary trapping, where stranded as disconnected pore‐scale droplets (ganglia) in rock, surrounded by water. We used X‐Ray microtomography image, at a resolution of 6.4 µm, arrangement and distribution trapped clusters limestone. applied high pressures...

Abstract We study the nature of non‐Fickian particle transport in 3‐D porous media by simulating fluid flow intricate pore space real rock. solve full Navier‐Stokes equations at same resolution as micro‐CT (computed tomography) image rock sample and simulate along streamlines velocity field. find that scale is markedly anomalous: longitudinal spreading superdiffusive, while transverse subdiffusive. demonstrate this anomalous behavior originates from intermittent structure field scale, which...