Relative Permeability and Flow Intermittency Measurements Using X-Ray Micro-tomography in a Complex Microporous Carbonate

Ying Gao, Imperial College London; Ali Q. Raeini, Imperial College London; Martin J. Blunt, Imperial College London; Branko Bijeljic, Imperial College London;

2019 || British Geological Survey - National Geoscience Data Centre (UKRI/NERC)

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.

Originally assigned keywords

Corresponding MSL vocabulary keywords

MSL enriched keywords

MSL enriched sub domains
  • rock and melt physics
  • analogue modelling of geologic processes
Source http://dx.doi.org/10.5285/f899eb2f-37a4-4dec-9b59-432f11250894
Source publisher British Geological Survey - National Geoscience Data Centre (UKRI/NERC)
DOI 10.5285/f899eb2f-37a4-4dec-9b59-432f11250894
Authors
  • Ying Gao, Imperial College London
  • Ali Q. Raeini, Imperial College London
  • Martin J. Blunt, Imperial College London
  • Branko Bijeljic, Imperial College London
Contributors
  • British Geological Survey
  • Distributor
Citation Ying Gao, I. C. L., Ali Q. Raeini, I. C. L., Martin J. Blunt, I. C. L., & Branko Bijeljic, I. C. L. (2019). Relative Permeability and Flow Intermittency Measurements Using X-Ray Micro-tomography in a Complex Microporous Carbonate [Data set]. British Geological Survey. https://doi.org/10.5285/F899EB2F-37A4-4DEC-9B59-432F11250894