Petrophysical characterization of porous media starting from micro-tomographic images

• Published in: Advances in water resources Vol. 94; pp. 200 - 216
• Main Authors: Mohammadmoradi, Peyman, Kantzas, Apostolos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2016
• Subjects: Computer simulation; Contact angle; Drainage; Heterogeneity; Imbibition; Mathematical models; Media; Pore-scale; Porosity; Quasi-static; Saturation; Saturation functions; Drainage; Pore-scale; Imbibition; Quasi-static; Saturation functions
• ISSN: 0309-1708; 1872-9657
• DOI: 10.1016/j.advwatres.2016.05.009

•A quasi-static framework is presented to simulate pore-scale displacement scenarios.•By-passing and snap-off are taken into the account as trapping mechanisms.•The framework is adopted to deal with fractional- and mixed-wet conditions.•Post-processing results are in good agreement with available experimental data. A quasi-static scheme based on pore space spatial statistics is presented to simulate pore-scale two-phase capillary-dominant displacement processes. The algorithm is coupled with computational fluid dynamics in order to evaluate saturation functions. Wettability heterogeneity in partial and fractional/mixed-wet media is implemented using a contact angle map. The simulation process is pixel-wised and performed directly on binary images. Bypassing and snap-off are tackled as non-wetting phase trapping mechanisms. Post-processing results include residual saturations, effective permeability and capillary pressure curves for drainage and imbibition scenarios. The primary advantages of the proposed workflow are eliminating pore space skeletisation/ discretization, superior time efficiency and minimal numerical drawbacks when compared to other direct or network-based simulation techniques.