Research advances in non-Darcy flow in low permeability media

More and more experimental results show that Darcy’s law is not fully applicable in low permeability media,and non-Darcy flow has been identified.In this paper we reviewed the research of non-Darcy flow experiments in low-permeability media in recent decades,discuss the existence of non-Darcy flow,and summarize its constitutive equations.The reasons for the threshold gradient were also discussed and summarized for the criterion of the critical point of non-Darcy flow.On this basis,the future development of non-Darcy flow experiments in the rock and clay media were discussed,in order to provide a certain reference for subsequent research on seepage laws in low permeability media.

Modeling of multiphase flow in low permeability porous media:Effect of wettability and pore structure properties

Multiphase flow in low permeability porous media is involved in numerous energy and environmental applications.However,a complete description of this process is challenging due to the limited modeling scale and the effects of complex pore structures and wettability.To address this issue,based on the digital rock of low permeability sandstone,a direct numerical simulation is performed considering the interphase drag and boundary slip to clarify the microscopic water-oil displacement process.In addition,a dual-porosity pore network model(PNM)is constructed to obtain the water-oil relative permeability of the sample.The displacement efficiency as a recovery process is assessed under different wetting and pore structure properties.Results show that microscopic displacement mechanisms explain the corresponding macroscopic relative permeability.The injected water breaks through the outlet earlier with a large mass flow,while thick oil films exist in rough hydrophobic surfaces and poorly connected pores.The variation of water-oil relative permeability is significant,and residual oil saturation is high in the oil-wet system.The flooding is extensive,and the residual oil is trapped in complex pore networks for hydrophilic pore surfaces;thus,water relative permeability is lower in the water-wet system.While the displacement efficiency is the worst in mixed-wetting systems for poor water connectivity.Microporosity negatively correlates with invading oil volume fraction due to strong capillary resistance,and a large microporosity corresponds to low residual oil saturation.This work provides insights into the water-oil flow from different modeling perspectives and helps to optimize the development plan for enhanced recovery.

An overview on nonlinear porous flow in low permeability porous media

This paper gives an overview on nonlinear porous flow in low permeability porous media, reveals the microscopic mechanisms of flows, and clarifies properties of porous flow fluids. It shows that, deviating from Darcy＇s linear law, the porous flow characteristics obey a nonlinear law in a low-permeability porous medium, and the viscosity of the porous flow fluid and the permeability values of water and oil are not constants. Based on these characters, a new porous flow model, which can better describe low permeability reservoir~ is established. This model can describe various patterns of porous flow, as Darcy＇s linear law does. All the parameters involved in the model, having definite physical meanings, can be obtained directly from the experiments.

Review of permeability evolution model for fractured porous media

The ability to capture permeability of fractured porous media plays a significant role in several engineering applications, including reservoir, mining, petroleum and geotechnical engineering. In order to solve fluid flow and coupled flow-deformation problems encountered in these engineering applications,both empirical and theoretical models had been proposed in the past few decades. Some of them are simple but still work in certain circumstances; others are complex but also need some modifications to be applicable. Thus, the understanding of state-of-the-art permeability evolution model would help researchers and engineers solve engineering problems through an appropriate approach. This paper summarizes permeability evolution models proposed by earlier and recent researchers with emphasis on their characteristics and limitations.

Numerical simulation of non-Darcian flow through a porous medium

This work reports on fluid flow in a fluid-saturated porous medium, accounting for the boundary and inertial effects in the momentum equation. The flow is simulated by Brinkman-Forchheimer-extended Darcy formulation （DFB）, using MAC （Marker And Cell） and Chorin pressure iteration method. The method is validated by comparison with analytic results. The effect of Reynolds number, Darcy number, porosity and viscosity ratio on velocity is investigated. As a result, it is found that Darcy number has a decisive influence on pressure as well as velocity, and the effect of viscosity ratio on velocity is very strong given the Darcy number. Additional key findings include unreasonable choice of effective viscosity can involve loss of important physical information.