Non-Darcy flows in layered porous media(LPMs)with contrasting pore space structures

Compared to single layer porous media,fluid flow through layered porous media(LPMs)with contrasting pore space structures is more complex.This study constructed three-dimensional(3-D)pore-scale LPMs with different grain size ratios of 1.20,1.47,and 1.76.The flow behavior in the constructed LPMs and single layer porous media was numerically investigated.A total of 178 numerical experimental data were collected in LPMs and single layer porous media.In all cases,two different flow regimes(i.e.,Darcy and Non-Darcy)were observed.The influence of the interface of layers on Non-Darcy flow behavior in LPMs was analyzed based pore-scale flow data.It was found that the available correlations based on single layer porous media fail to predict the flow behavior in LPMs,especially for LPM with large grain size ratio.The effective permeability,which incorporated the influence of the interface is more accurate than the Kozeny-Carman equation for estimating the Darcy permeability of LPMs.The inertial pressure loss in LPMs,which determines the onset of the Non-Darcy flow,was underestimated when using a power law expression of mean grain size.The constant B,an empirical value in the classical Ergun equation,typically equals 1.75.The inertial pressure loss in LPMs can be significantly different from it in single lager porous media.For Non-Darcy flow in LPMs,it is necessary to consider a modified larger constant B to improve the accuracy of the Ergun empirical equation.

SOME TYPICAL BEHAVIORS OF WEAK SOLUTIONS OF LAYERED POROUS MEDIA EQUATION

This paper is the continuation of [2]. Some typical behaviors of weak solutions of layered porous media equations with boundary conditions will be discussed in this paper. For example, asymptotically, the saturated regions can appear only either hear the layered interface, or near the boundaries. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the occurrence of such phenomena will be given.

FILTRATION IN PARTIALLY SATURATED AND PARTIALLY DRIED LAYERED POROUS MEDIA

One dimensional filtration problem in partially saturated and partially dried layered porous media is studied. Main difficulties are the occurrence of infinite value of capillary piezometric head in dry regions. The existence and uniqueness of the weak solutions is proved under natural conditions.

Stress dependence of elastic wave dispersion and attenuation in fluid-saturated porous layered media

The fluid-saturated porous layered(FSPL)media widely exist in the Earth's subsurface and their overall mechanical properties,microscopic pore structure and wave propagation characteristics are highly relevant to the in-situ stress.However,the effect of in-situ stress on wave propagation in FSPL media cannot be well explained with the existing theories.To fill this gap,we propose the dynamic equations for FSPL media under the effect of in-situ stress based on the theories of poroacoustoelasticity and anisotropic elasticity.Biot loss mechanism is considered to account for the stress-dependent wave dispersion and attenuation induced by global wave-induced fluid flow.Thomsen's elastic anisotropy parameters are used to represent the anisotropy of the skeleton.A plane-wave analysis is implemented on dynamic equations yields the analytic solutions for fast and slow P waves and two S waves.Modelling results show that the elastic anisotropy parameters significantly determine the stress dependence of wave velocities.Vertical tortuosity and permeability have remarkable effects on fast and slow P-wave velocity curves and the corresponding attenuation peaks but have little effect on S-wave velocity.The difference in velocities of two S waves occurs when the FSPL medium is subjected to horizontal uniaxial stress,and the S wave along the stress direction has a larger velocity,which implies that the additional anisotropy other than that induced by the beddings appears due to horizontal stress.Besides,the predicted velocity results have the reasonable agreement with laboratory measurements.Our equations and results are relevant to a better understanding of wave propagation in deep strata,which provide some new theoretical insights in the rock physics,hydrocarbon exploration and stress detection in deep-strata shale reservoirs.