Ultra-large aluminum shape casting:Opportunities and challenges

Ultra-large aluminum shape castings have been increasingly used in automotive vehicles,particularly in electric vehicles for light-weighting and vehicle manufacturing cost reduction.As most of them are structural components subject to both quasi-static,dynamic and cyclic loading,the quality and quantifiable performance of the ultra-large aluminum shape castings is critical to their success in both design and manufacturing.This paper briefly reviews some application examples of ultra-large aluminum castings in automotive industry and outlines their advantages and benefits.Factors affecting quality,microstructure and mechanical properties of ultra-large aluminum castings are evaluated and discussed as aluminum shape casting processing is very complex and often involves many competing mechanisms,multi-physics phenomena,and potentially large uncertainties that significantly influence the casting quality and performance.Metallurgical analysis and mechanical property assessment of an ultra-large aluminum shape casting are presented.Challenges are highlighted and suggestions are made for robust design and manufacturing of ultra-large aluminum castings.

An adaptive physics-informed deep learning method for pore pressure prediction using seismic data

Accurate prediction of formation pore pressure is essential to predict fluid flow and manage hydrocarbon production in petroleum engineering.Recent deep learning technique has been receiving more interest due to the great potential to deal with pore pressure prediction.However,most of the traditional deep learning models are less efficient to address generalization problems.To fill this technical gap,in this work,we developed a new adaptive physics-informed deep learning model with high generalization capability to predict pore pressure values directly from seismic data.Specifically,the new model,named CGP-NN,consists of a novel parametric features extraction approach(1DCPP),a stacked multilayer gated recurrent model(multilayer GRU),and an adaptive physics-informed loss function.Through machine training,the developed model can automatically select the optimal physical model to constrain the results for each pore pressure prediction.The CGP-NN model has the best generalization when the physicsrelated metricλ=0.5.A hybrid approach combining Eaton and Bowers methods is also proposed to build machine-learnable labels for solving the problem of few labels.To validate the developed model and methodology,a case study on a complex reservoir in Tarim Basin was further performed to demonstrate the high accuracy on the pore pressure prediction of new wells along with the strong generalization ability.The adaptive physics-informed deep learning approach presented here has potential application in the prediction of pore pressures coupled with multiple genesis mechanisms using seismic data.

Experimental investigation on coal pore-fracture variation and fractal characteristics synergistically affected by solvents for improving clean gas extraction

Chemical solvents instead of pure water being as hydraulic fracturing fluid could effectively increase permeability and improve clean methane extraction efficiency.However,pore-fracture variation features of lean coal synergistically affected by solvents have not been fully understood.Ultrasonic testing,nuclear magnetic resonance analysis,liquid phase mass spectrometry was adopted to comprehensively analyze pore-fracture change characteristics of lean coal treated by combined solvent(NMP and CS_(2)).Meanwhile,quantitative characterization of above changing properties was conducted using geometric fractal theory.Relationship model between permeability,fractal dimension and porosity were established.Results indicate that the end face fractures of coal are well developed after CS2and combined solvent treatments,of which,end face box-counting fractal dimensions range from 1.1227 to 1.4767.Maximum decreases in ultrasonic longitudinal wave velocity of coal affected by NMP,CS_(2)and combined solvent are 2.700%,20.521%,22.454%,respectively.Solvent treatments could lead to increasing amount of both mesopores and macropores.Decrease ratio of fractal dimension Dsis 0.259%–2.159%,while permeability increases ratio of NMR ranges from 0.1904 to 6.4486.Meanwhile,combined solvent could dissolve coal polar and non-polar small molecules and expand flow space.Results could provide reference for solvent selection and parameter optimization of permeability-enhancement technology.

Free radicals trigger the closure of open pores in lignin-derived hard carbons toward improved sodium-storage capacity

The chemical activation of various precursors is effective for creating additional closed pores in hard carbons for sodium storage.However,the formation mechanism of closed pores under the influence of pore-forming agents is not well understood.Herein,an effective chemical activation followed by a high-temperature self-healing strategy is employed to generate interconnected closed pores in lignin-derived hard carbon(HCs).By systematic experimental design combined with electron paramagnetic res-onance spectroscopy,it can be found that the content of free radicals in the carbon matrix influences the closure of open pores at high temperatures.Excessively high activation temperature(>700 C)leads to a low free radical concentration,making it difficult to achieve self-healing of open pores at high tempera-tures.By activation at 700°C,a balance between pore making and self-healing is achieved in the final hard carbon.A large number of free radicals triggers rapid growth and aggregation of carbon microcrys-tals,blocking pre-formed open micropores and creating additional interconnected closed pores in as-obtained hard carbons.As a result,the optimized carbon anode(LK-700-1300)delivers a high reversible capacity of 330.8 mA h g^(-1) at 0.03 A g^(-1),which is an increase of 86 mA h g^(-1) compared to the pristine lignin-derived carbon anode(L-700-1300),and exhibits a good rate performance(202.1 mA h g^(-1) at 1 A g^(-1)).This work provides a universal and effective guidance for tuning closed pores of hard carbons from otherprecursors.

Investigation of pore geometry influence on fluid flow in heterogeneous porous media:A pore-scale study

Brazilian pre-salt reservoirs are renowned for their intricate pore networks and vuggy nature,posing significant challenges in modeling and simulating fluid flow within these carbonate reservoirs.Despite possessing excellent petrophysical properties,such as high porosity and permeability,these reservoirs typically exhibit a notably low recovery factor,sometimes falling below 10%.Previous research has indicated that various enhanced oil recovery(EOR)methods,such as water alternating gas(WAG),can substantially augment the recovery factor in pre-salt reservoirs,resulting in improvements of up to 20%.Nevertheless,the fluid flow mechanism within Brazilian carbonate reservoirs,characterized by complex pore geometry,remains unclear.Our study examines the behavior of fluid flow in a similar heterogeneous porous material,utilizing a plug sample obtained from a vugular segment of a Brazilian stromatolite outcrop,known to share analogies with certain pre-salt reservoirs.We conducted single-phase and multi-phase core flooding experiments,complemented by medical-CT scanning,to generate flow streamlines and evaluate the efficiency of water flooding.Subsequently,micro-CT scanning of the core sample was performed,and two cross-sections from horizontal and vertical plates were constructed.These cross-sections were then employed as geometries in a numerical simulator,enabling us to investigate the impact of pore geometry on fluid flow.Analysis of the pore-scale modeling and experimental data unveiled that the presence of dead-end pores and vugs results in a significant portion of the fluid remaining stagnant within these regions.Consequently,the injected fluid exhibits channeling-like behavior,leading to rapid breakthrough and low areal swept efficiency.Additionally,the numerical simulation results demonstrated that,irrespective of the size of the dead-end regions,the pressure variation within the dead-end vugs and pores is negligible.Despite the stromatolite's favorable petrophysical properties,including relatively high porosity and permeability,as well as the presence of interconnected large vugs,the recovery factor during water flooding remained low due to early breakthrough.These findings align with field data obtained from pre-salt reservoirs,providing an explanation for the observed low recovery factor during water flooding in such reservoirs.

The impact of heterogeneity and pore network characteristics on single and multi-phase fluid propagation in complex porous media:An X-ray computed tomography study

This study investigates the impact of pore network characteristics on fluid flow through complex and heterogeneous porous media,providing insights into the factors affecting fluid propagation in such systems.Specifically,high-resolution or micro X-ray computed tomography(CT)imaging techniques were utilized to examine outcrop stromatolite samples of the Lagoa Salgada,considered flow analogous to the Brazilian Pre-salt carbonate reservoirs.The petrophysical results comprised two distinct stromatolite depositional facies,the columnar and the fine-grained facies.By generating pore network model(PNM),the study quantified the relationship between key features of the porous system,including pore and throat radius,throat length,coordination number,shape factor,and pore volume.The study found that the less dense pore network of the columnar sample is typically characterized by larger pores and wider and longer throats but with a weaker connection of throats to pores.Both facies exhibited less variability in the radius of the pores and throats in comparison to throat length.Additionally,a series of core flooding experiments coupled with medical CT scanning was designed and conducted in the plug samples to assess flow propagation and saturation fields.The study revealed that the heterogeneity and presence of disconnected or dead-end pores significantly impacted the flow patterns and saturation.Two-phase flow patterns and oil saturation distribution reveal a preferential and heterogeneous displacement that mainly swept displaced fluid in some regions of plugs and bypassed it in others.The relation between saturation profiles,porosity profiles,and the number of fluid flow patterns for the samples was evident.Only for the columnar plug sample was the enhancement in recovery factor after shifting to lower salinity water injection(SB)observed.

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.

Concise extraction and characterization of the pore-throat network in unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs: A new perspective

In this study,a new image-based method for the extraction and characterization of pore-throat network for unconventional hydrocarbon storage and exploitation is proposed.“Pore-throat solidity”,which is analogous to particle solidity,and a new method for automatic identification of pores and throats in tight sandstone oil reservoirs are introduced.Additionally,the“pore-throat combination”and“pure pore”are defined and distinguished by drawing the cumulative probability curve of the pore-throat solidity and by selecting an appropriate cutoff point.When the discrete grid set is recognized as a pore-throat combination,Legendre ellipse fitting and minimum Feret diameter are used.When the pore and throat grid sets are identified as pure pores,the pore diameter can be directly calculated.Using the new method,the analytical results for the physical parameters and pore radius agree well with most prior studies.The results comparing the maximum ball and the new model could also prove the accuracy of the latter's in micro and nano scales.The new model provides a more practical theoretical basis and a new calculation method for the rapid and accurate evaluation of the complex processes of oil migration.

Pore structure and oxygen content design of amorphous carbon toward a durable anode for potassium/sodium-ion batteries

Both sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)and potassium-ion batteries(PIBs)are considered as promising candidates in grid-level energy storage devices.Unfortunately,the larger ionic radii of K+and Na+induce poor diffusion kinetics and cycling stability of carbon anode materials.Pore structure regulation is an ideal strategy to promote the diffusion kinetics and cyclic stability of carbon materials by facilitating electrolyte infiltration,increasing the transport channels,and alleviating the volume change.However,traditional pore-forming agent-assisted methods considerably increase the difficulty of synthesis and limit practical applications of porous carbon materials.Herein,porous carbon materials(Ca-PC/Na-PC/K-PC)with different pore structures have been prepared with gluconates as the precursors,and the amorphous structure,abundant micropores,and oxygen-doping active sites endow the Ca-PC anode with excellent potassium and sodium storage performance.For PIBs,the capacitive contribution ratio of Ca-PC is 82%at 5.0 mV s^(-1) due to the introduction of micropores and high oxygen-doping content,while a high reversible capacity of 121.4 mAh g^(-1) can be reached at 5 A g^(-1) after 2000 cycles.For SIBs,stable sodium storage capacity of 101.4 mAh g^(-1) can be achieved at 2 A g^(-1) after 8000 cycles with a very low decay rate of 0.65%for per cycle.This work may provide an avenue for the application of porous carbon materials in the energy storage field.

Study on the evolution of solid–liquid–gas in multi-scale pore methane in tectonic coal

The rich accumulation of methane(CH_(4))in tectonic coal layers poses a significant obstacle to the safe and efficient extraction of coal seams and coalbed methane.Tectonic coal samples from three geologically complex regions were selected,and the main results obtained by using a variety of research tools,such as physical tests,theoretical analyses,and numerical simulations,are as follows:22.4–62.5 nm is the joint segment of pore volume,and 26.7–100.7 nm is the joint segment of pore specific surface area.In the dynamic gas production process of tectonic coal pore structure,the adsorption method of methane molecules is“solid–liquid adsorption is the mainstay,and solid–gas adsorption coexists”.Methane stored in micropores with a pore size smaller than the jointed range is defined as solid-state pores.Pores within the jointed range,which transition from micropore filling to surface adsorption,are defined as gaseous pores.Pores outside the jointed range,where solid–liquid adsorption occurs,are defined as liquid pores.The evolution of pore structure affects the methane adsorption mode,which provides basic theoretical guidance for the development of coal seam resources.

Influence of pore structure heterogeneity on channeling channels during hot water flooding in heavy oil reservoir based on CT scanning

Hot water flooding is an effective way to develop heavy oil reservoirs.However,local channeling channels may form,possibly leading to a low thermal utilization efficiency and high water cut in the reservoir.The pore structure heterogeneity is an important factor in forming these channels.This study proposes a method that mixes quartz sand with different particle sizes to prepare weakly heterogeneous and strongly heterogeneous models through which hot water flooding experiments are conducted.During the experiments,computer tomography(CT)scanning identifies the pore structure and micro remaining oil saturation distribution to analyze the influence of the pore structure heterogeneity on the channeling channels.The oil saturation reduction and average pore size are divided into three levels to quantitatively describe the relationship between the channeling channel distribution and pore structure heterogeneity.The zone where oil saturation reduction exceeds 20%is defined as a channeling channel.The scanning area is divided into 180 equally sized zones based on the CT scanning images,and threedimensional(3D)distributions of the channeling channels are developed.Four micro remaining oil distribution patterns are proposed,and the morphology characteristics of micro remaining oil inside and outside the channeling channels are analyzed.The results show that hot water flooding is more balanced in the weakly heterogeneous model,and the oil saturation decreases by more than 20%in most zones without narrow channeling channels forming.In the strongly heterogeneous model,hot water flooding is unbalanced,and three narrow channeling channels of different lengths form.In the weakly heterogeneous model,the oil saturation reduction is greater in zones with larger pores.The distribution range of the average pore size is larger in the strongly heterogeneous model.The network remaining oil inside the channeling channels is less than outside the channeling channels,and the hot water converts the network remaining oil into cluster,film,and droplet remaining oil.

Hydrodynamic resistance of pore–throat structures and its effect on shale oil apparent permeability

Oil transport is greatly affected by heterogeneous pore–throat structures present in shale.It is therefore very important to accurately characterize pore–throat structures.Additionally,it remains unclear how pore–throat structures affect oil transport capacity.In this paper,using finite element(FE)simulation and mathematical modeling,we calculated the hydrodynamic resistance for four pore–throat structure.In addition,the influence of pore throat structure on shale oil permeability is analyzed.According to the results,the hydrodynamic resistance of different pore throat structures can vary by 300%.The contribution of additional resistance caused by streamline bending is also in excess of 40%,even without slip length.Fur-thermore,Pore–throat structures can affect apparent permeability by more than 60%on the REV scale,and this influence increases with heterogeneity of pore size distribution,organic matter content,and organic matter number.Clearly,modeling shale oil flow requires consideration of porous–throat structure and additional resistance,otherwise oil recovery and flow capacity may be overestimated.

NMR-based analysis of the effect of moisture migration on sandstone pore structure under alternating wetting and drying conditions

The wetting-drying(W-D)cycle is a type of water–rock interaction.The pore structure of rock,such as shape,size,distribution and pore throat,affects fluid storage and transport.Fractal theory and experimental research on the evolution characteristics of pore damage during the wet-dry erosion process are highly important for determining W-D damage.The mass and velocity of liquid migration are related to the pore size,porosity,fluid properties,etc.Experimental data show that the water absorption quality and velocity in rocks decrease with the number of wet-dry cycles.At the same test time,the mass and velocity of the SI water absorption method are smaller than those of the FI method.Under these two conditions,the amount and rate of water absorption represent the degree of water–rock interaction.Considering the pore evolution during the wet-dry cycling,an equation describing the motion of liquid in porous media was derived based on the imbibition-type separation model.The experimental data are in excellent agreement with the calculated values of the model.Permeability characteristics can affect the area and degree of rock deterioration as well as the development rate of pores and microcracks.Based on the interaction between permeability and pores,quantitative analysis of the weakening process(local damage)of rocks under W-D cycles can provide good reference indicators for evaluating the stability of geotechnical engineering.

The Negative Thermal Expansion Property of NdMnO_(3) Based on Pores Effect and Phase Transition

A novel negative thermal expansion(NTE) material NdMnO_(3) was synthesized by solid-state method at 1 523 K. The crystal structure, phase transition, pores effect and negative expansion properties of NdMnO_(3) were investigated by variable temperature X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron microscope(SEM) and variable temperature Raman spectra. The compound exhibits NTE properties in the orderly O' phase crystal structure. When the temperature is from 293 to 759 K, the ceramic NdMnO_(3) shows negative thermal expansion of-4.7×10^(-6)/K. As temperature increases, the ceramic NdMnO_(3) presents NTE property range from 759 to 1 007 K. The average linear expansion coefficient is-18.88×10^(-6)/K. The physical mechanism of NTE is discussed and clarified through experiments.

Effects of confining pressure and pore pressure on multipole borehole acoustic field in fluid-saturated porous media

In-situ stress is a common stress in the exploration and development of oil reservoirs. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the propagation characteristics of borehole acoustic waves in fluid-saturated porous media under stress.Based on the acoustoelastic theory of fluid-saturated porous media, the field equation of fluid-saturated porous media under the conditions of confining pressure and pore pressure and the acoustic field formula of multipole source excitation in open hole are given. The influences of pore pressure and confining pressure on guided waves of multipole borehole acoustic field in fluid-saturated porous media are investigated. The numerical results show that the phase velocity and excitation intensity of guided wave increase significantly under the confining pressure. For a given confining pressure, the phase velocity of the guided wave decreases with pore pressure increasing. The excitation intensity of guided wave increases at low frequency and then decreases at high frequency with pore pressure increasing, except for that of Stoneley wave which decreases in the whole frequency range. These results will help us get an insight into the influences of confining pressure and pore pressure on the acoustic field of multipole source in borehole around fluid-saturated porous media.

A hybrid machine learning optimization algorithm for multivariable pore pressure prediction

Pore pressure is essential data in drilling design,and its accurate prediction is necessary to ensure drilling safety and improve drilling efficiency.Traditional methods for predicting pore pressure are limited when forming particular structures and lithology.In this paper,a machine learning algorithm and effective stress theorem are used to establish the transformation model between rock physical parameters and pore pressure.This study collects data from three wells.Well 1 had 881 data sets for model training,and Wells 2 and 3 had 538 and 464 data sets for model testing.In this paper,support vector machine(SVM),random forest(RF),extreme gradient boosting(XGB),and multilayer perceptron(MLP)are selected as the machine learning algorithms for pore pressure modeling.In addition,this paper uses the grey wolf optimization(GWO)algorithm,particle swarm optimization(PSO)algorithm,sparrow search algorithm(SSA),and bat algorithm(BA)to establish a hybrid machine learning optimization algorithm,and proposes an improved grey wolf optimization(IGWO)algorithm.The IGWO-MLP model obtained the minimum root mean square error(RMSE)by using the 5-fold cross-validation method for the training data.For the pore pressure data in Well 2 and Well 3,the coefficients of determination(R^(2))of SVM,RF,XGB,and MLP are 0.9930 and 0.9446,0.9943 and 0.9472,0.9945 and 0.9488,0.9949 and 0.9574.MLP achieves optimal performance on both training and test data,and the MLP model shows a high degree of generalization.It indicates that the IGWO-MLP is an excellent predictor of pore pressure and can be used to predict pore pressure.

Water-induced physicochemical and pore changes in limestone for surrounding rock across pressure aquifers

Osmotic water alters the physicochemical properties and internal structures of limestone.This issue is particularly critical in tunnel construction across mountainous regions with aquifers,where pressurized groundwater can destabilize the limestone-based surrounding rock.Thus,systematic research into the physicochemical properties and pore structure changes in the limestone under pressurized water is essential.Additionally,it is essential to develop an interpretable mathematical model to accurately depict how pressurized osmotic water weakens limestone.In this research,a specialized device was designed to simulate the process of osmotic laminar flow within limestone.Then,four main tests were conducted:mass loss,acoustic emission(AE),mercury intrusion porosimetry(MIP),and fluorescence analysis.Experimental results gained from tests led to the development of a“Particle-pore throat-water film”model.Proposed model explains water-induced physicochemical and pore changes in limestone under osmotic pressure and reveals evolutionary mechanisms as pressure increases.Based on experimental results and model,we found that osmotic pressure not only alters limestone composition but also affects pore throats larger than 0.1μm.Furthermore,osmotic pressure expands pore throats,enhancing pore structure uniformity,interconnectivity,and permeability.These effects are observed at a threshold of 7.5 MPa,where cohesive forces within the mineral lattice are surpassed,leading to the breakdown of erosion-resistant layer and a significant increase in hydrochemical erosion.

Influence of tectonic preservation conditions on the nanopore structure of shale reservoir:A case study of Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation shale in western Hubei area,south China

Tectonism is one of the dominant factors affecting the shale pore structure.However,the control of shale pore structure by tectonic movements is still controversial,which limits the research progress of shale gas accumulation mechanism in the complex tectonic region of southern China.In this study,34 samples were collected from two exploratory wells located in different tectonic locations.Diverse experiments,e.g.,organic geochemistry,XRD analysis,FE-SEM,low-pressure gas adsorption,and high-pressure mercury intrusion,were conducted to fully characterize the shale reservoir.The TOC,Ro,and mineral composition of the shale samples between the two wells are similar,which reflects that the shale samples of the two wells have proximate pores-generating capacity and pores-supporting capacity.However,the pore characteristics of shale samples from two wells are significantly different.Compared with the stabilized zone shale,the porosity,pore volume,and specific surface area of the deformed zone shale were reduced by 60.61%,64.85%,and 27.81%,respectively.Moreover,the macroscopic and fine pores were reduced by 54.01%and 84.95%,respectively.Fault activity and uplift denudation are not conducive to pore preservation,and the rigid basement of Huangling uplift can promote pore preservation.These three factors are important reasons for controlling the difference in pore structure between two wells shales.We established a conceptual model of shale pores evolution under different tectonic preservation conditions.This study is significant to clarify the scale of shale gas formation and enrichment in complex tectonic regions,and helps in the selection of shale sweet spots.

Experimental investigation on pyrolysis products and pore structure characteristics of organic-rich shale heated by supercritical carbon dioxide

The efficient pyrolysis and conversion of organic matter in organic-rich shale,as well as the effective recovery of pyrolysis shale oil and gas,play a vital role in alleviating energy pressure.The state of carbon dioxide(CO_(2))in the pyrolysis environment of shale reservoirs is the supercritical state.Its unique supercritical fluid properties not only effectively heat organic matter,displace pyrolysis products and change shale pore structure,but also achieve carbon storage to a certain extent.Shale samples were made into powder and three sizes of cores,and nitrogen(N_(2))and supercritical carbon dioxide(ScCO_(2))pyrolysis experiments were performed at different final pyrolysis temperatures.The properties and mineral characteristics of the pyrolysis products were studied based on gas chromatography analysis,Xray diffraction tests,and mass spectrometry analysis.Besides,the pore structure characteristics at different regions of cores before and after pyrolysis were analyzed using N_(2) adsorption tests to clarify the impact of fracturing degree on the pyrolysis effect.The results indicate that the optimal pyrolysis temperature of Longkou shale is about 430℃.Compared with N_(2),the oil yield of ScCO_(2) pyrolysis is higher.The pyrolysis oil obtained by ScCO_(2) extraction has more intermediate fractions and higher relative molecular weight.The ScCO_(2) can effectively improve the pore diameter of shale and its effect is better than that of N_(2).The micropores are produced in shale after pyrolysis,and the macropores only are generated in ScCO_(2) pyrolysis environments with temperatures greater than 430℃.The pore structure has different development characteristics at different pyrolysis temperatures,which are mainly affected by the pressure holding of volatile matter and products blocking.Compared to the surface of the core,the pore development effect inside the core is better.With the decrease in core size,the pore diameter,specific surface area,and pore volume of cores all increase after pyrolysis.

Effect of high-multiple water injection on rock pore structure and oil displacement efficiency

Experimental methods,including mercury pressure,nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)and core(wateroil)displacement,are used to examine the effects of high-multiple water injection(i.e.water injection with high injected pore volume)on rock properties,pore structure and oil displacement efficiency of an oilfield in the western South China Sea.The results show an increase in the permeability of rocks along with particle migration,an increase in the pore volume and the average pore throat radius,and enhanced heterogeneity after high-multiple water injection.Compared with normal water injection methods,a high-multiple water injection is more effective in improving the oil displacement efficiency.The degree of recovery increases faster in the early stage due to the expansion of the swept area,and the transition from oil-wet to water-wet.The degree of recovery increases less in the late stage due to various factors,including the enhancement of heterogeneity in the rocks.Considering both the economic aspect and the production limit of water flooding,it is recommended to adopt other technologies to further enhance oil recovery after 300 PV water injection.