Fluid Invasion Dynamics in Porous Media With Complex Wettability and Connectivity

Arjen Mascini; Marijn Boone; Stefanie Van Offenwert; Shan Wang; Veerle Cnudde; Tom Bultreys

doi:10.1029/2021GL095185

Fluid Invasion Dynamics in Porous Media With Complex Wettability and Connectivity

Arjen Mascini^*
, Marijn Boone
, Stefanie Van Offenwert
, Shan Wang
, Veerle Cnudde
, Tom Bultreys

^*Corresponding author for this work

Ghent University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Multiphase flow is important for many natural and engineered processes in subsurface geoscience. Pore-scale multiphase flow dynamics are commonly characterized by an average balance of driving forces. However, significant local variability in this balance may exist inside natural, heterogeneous porous materials, such as rocks and soils. Here, we investigate multiphase flow in heterogeneous rocks with different wetting properties using fast laboratory-based 4D X-ray imaging. The mixed-wet dynamics were characterized by displacement rates that differed over orders of magnitude between directly neighboring pores. While conventional understanding predicted strongly capillary-dominated conditions, our analysis suggests that viscous forces played a key role in these dynamics, facilitated by a complex interplay between the mixed-wettability and the pore structure. These dynamics highlight the need for further studies on the fundamental controls on multiphase flow in geomaterials, which is crucial to design, for example, groundwater remediation and subsurface CO₂ storage operations.

Original language	English
Article number	e2021GL095185
Pages (from-to)	1-10
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	48
Issue number	22
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL095185
Publication status	Published - 28 Nov 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We would like to thank TESCAN XRE for the access to their DynaTOM system and their support during the experiments. Sorin Pop, Carina Bringedal and Stephan Lunowa are thanked for their insightful discussions that helped to give shape to this work. This research received funding from the Research Foundation‐Flanders (FWO, project G051418N). Tom Bultreys is a postdoctoral fellow of the Research Foundation‐Flanders (FWO) and acknowledges its support under grant 12X0919N.

Funding Information:
We would like to thank TESCAN XRE for the access to their DynaTOM system and their support during the experiments. Sorin Pop, Carina Bringedal and Stephan Lunowa are thanked for their insightful discussions that helped to give shape to this work. This research received funding from the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO, project G051418N). Tom Bultreys is a postdoctoral fellow of the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO) and acknowledges its support under grant 12X0919N.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.

Funding

We would like to thank TESCAN XRE for the access to their DynaTOM system and their support during the experiments. Sorin Pop, Carina Bringedal and Stephan Lunowa are thanked for their insightful discussions that helped to give shape to this work. This research received funding from the Research Foundation‐Flanders (FWO, project G051418N). Tom Bultreys is a postdoctoral fellow of the Research Foundation‐Flanders (FWO) and acknowledges its support under grant 12X0919N. We would like to thank TESCAN XRE for the access to their DynaTOM system and their support during the experiments. Sorin Pop, Carina Bringedal and Stephan Lunowa are thanked for their insightful discussions that helped to give shape to this work. This research received funding from the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO, project G051418N). Tom Bultreys is a postdoctoral fellow of the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO) and acknowledges its support under grant 12X0919N.

Keywords

capillarity
contact angle
multiphase flow
pore-scale imaging
wettability
X-ray microtomography

Access to Document

10.1029/2021GL095185

Geophysical Research Letters - 2021 - Mascini - Fluid Invasion Dynamics in Porous Media With Complex Wettability andFinal published version, 2.22 MBLicence: Taverne

Cite this

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title = "Fluid Invasion Dynamics in Porous Media With Complex Wettability and Connectivity",

abstract = "Multiphase flow is important for many natural and engineered processes in subsurface geoscience. Pore-scale multiphase flow dynamics are commonly characterized by an average balance of driving forces. However, significant local variability in this balance may exist inside natural, heterogeneous porous materials, such as rocks and soils. Here, we investigate multiphase flow in heterogeneous rocks with different wetting properties using fast laboratory-based 4D X-ray imaging. The mixed-wet dynamics were characterized by displacement rates that differed over orders of magnitude between directly neighboring pores. While conventional understanding predicted strongly capillary-dominated conditions, our analysis suggests that viscous forces played a key role in these dynamics, facilitated by a complex interplay between the mixed-wettability and the pore structure. These dynamics highlight the need for further studies on the fundamental controls on multiphase flow in geomaterials, which is crucial to design, for example, groundwater remediation and subsurface CO2 storage operations.",

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note = "Funding Information: We would like to thank TESCAN XRE for the access to their DynaTOM system and their support during the experiments. Sorin Pop, Carina Bringedal and Stephan Lunowa are thanked for their insightful discussions that helped to give shape to this work. This research received funding from the Research Foundation‐Flanders (FWO, project G051418N). Tom Bultreys is a postdoctoral fellow of the Research Foundation‐Flanders (FWO) and acknowledges its support under grant 12X0919N. Funding Information: We would like to thank TESCAN XRE for the access to their DynaTOM system and their support during the experiments. Sorin Pop, Carina Bringedal and Stephan Lunowa are thanked for their insightful discussions that helped to give shape to this work. This research received funding from the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO, project G051418N). Tom Bultreys is a postdoctoral fellow of the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO) and acknowledges its support under grant 12X0919N. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.",

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AU - Bultreys, Tom

N1 - Funding Information: We would like to thank TESCAN XRE for the access to their DynaTOM system and their support during the experiments. Sorin Pop, Carina Bringedal and Stephan Lunowa are thanked for their insightful discussions that helped to give shape to this work. This research received funding from the Research Foundation‐Flanders (FWO, project G051418N). Tom Bultreys is a postdoctoral fellow of the Research Foundation‐Flanders (FWO) and acknowledges its support under grant 12X0919N. Funding Information: We would like to thank TESCAN XRE for the access to their DynaTOM system and their support during the experiments. Sorin Pop, Carina Bringedal and Stephan Lunowa are thanked for their insightful discussions that helped to give shape to this work. This research received funding from the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO, project G051418N). Tom Bultreys is a postdoctoral fellow of the Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO) and acknowledges its support under grant 12X0919N. Publisher Copyright: © 2021. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.

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N2 - Multiphase flow is important for many natural and engineered processes in subsurface geoscience. Pore-scale multiphase flow dynamics are commonly characterized by an average balance of driving forces. However, significant local variability in this balance may exist inside natural, heterogeneous porous materials, such as rocks and soils. Here, we investigate multiphase flow in heterogeneous rocks with different wetting properties using fast laboratory-based 4D X-ray imaging. The mixed-wet dynamics were characterized by displacement rates that differed over orders of magnitude between directly neighboring pores. While conventional understanding predicted strongly capillary-dominated conditions, our analysis suggests that viscous forces played a key role in these dynamics, facilitated by a complex interplay between the mixed-wettability and the pore structure. These dynamics highlight the need for further studies on the fundamental controls on multiphase flow in geomaterials, which is crucial to design, for example, groundwater remediation and subsurface CO2 storage operations.

AB - Multiphase flow is important for many natural and engineered processes in subsurface geoscience. Pore-scale multiphase flow dynamics are commonly characterized by an average balance of driving forces. However, significant local variability in this balance may exist inside natural, heterogeneous porous materials, such as rocks and soils. Here, we investigate multiphase flow in heterogeneous rocks with different wetting properties using fast laboratory-based 4D X-ray imaging. The mixed-wet dynamics were characterized by displacement rates that differed over orders of magnitude between directly neighboring pores. While conventional understanding predicted strongly capillary-dominated conditions, our analysis suggests that viscous forces played a key role in these dynamics, facilitated by a complex interplay between the mixed-wettability and the pore structure. These dynamics highlight the need for further studies on the fundamental controls on multiphase flow in geomaterials, which is crucial to design, for example, groundwater remediation and subsurface CO2 storage operations.

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KW - wettability

KW - X-ray microtomography

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ER -

Fluid Invasion Dynamics in Porous Media With Complex Wettability and Connectivity

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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Keywords

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