Relative Permeability and Flow Intermittency Measurements Using X-Ray Micro-tomography in a Complex Microporous Carbonate
We imaged the steady-state flow of brine and decane at different fractional flows during dual injection in a micro-porous limestone using X-ray micro-tomography. We applied differential imaging on Estaillades carbonate to (a) distinguish micro-porous regions from macro-pores, and (b) determine fluid phase pore occupancy and relative permeability at a capillary number, Ca = 7.3×10-6. The sample porosity was approximately 28 %, with 7% in macro-pores and 21% in pores that could not be directly resolved (micro-porosity). We find that, in addition to brine and decane, a fraction of the macroscopic pore space contains an intermittent phase, which is occupied either by brine or oil during the hour-long scan time. Furthermore, fluid occupancy in micro-porosity was classified into three sub-phases: micro-pore space with oil, micro-pore space with brine, and micro pores partially filled with oil and brine.
Qatar Carbonates and Carbon Storage Research Centre
qccsrc@imperial.ac.uk
,
United Kingdom
email:
not available
Role: point of contact
Imperial College London
Martin Blunt
London,
United Kingdom
email:
not available
Role: author
Imperial College London
Branko Bijeljic
London,
United Kingdom
email:
not available
Role: author
Imperial College London
Ying Gao
London,
United Kingdom
email:
not available
Role: author
Imperial College London
Ying Gao
London,
United Kingdom
email:
not available
Role: point of contact
Imperial College London
Ali Q. Raeini
London,
United Kingdom
email:
not available
Role: author
Data Quality
We have established a novel experimental and image analysis methodology to measure the relative permeability and pore occupancy in a complex micro-porous carbonate. We have demonstrated this by conducting waterflood experiments on Estaillades limestone sample at a capillary number, Ca =7.3×10-6 and performing differential imaging to distinguish macro-pore space, explicitly resolvable in the image, and micro-porosity, together with fluid occupancy. During multiphase flow we could distinguish three types of fluid occupancy in the micro-pore space II: filled with oil, filled with brine, and partially-saturated with both brine and oil present. The micro-porosity contributed significantly to the total porosity: the fully brine-saturated portion of the pore space contributed to a large initial brine saturation after primary drainage. Keywords: Micro-CT imaging; Recovery in micro-pores; Quantifying oil (phase) in micro-porosity; Relative permeability; Intermittency; Differential imaging method
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Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
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