We study the gas–water transient imbibition and drainage processes in two-dimensional nanoporous media using our recently developed lattice Boltzmann model. To describe the microscopic molecular interactions, the model employs a pseudopotential that correlates the local density and interaction strength to perform simulation at a mesoscopic scale. The primary interest is ganglia dynamics in the nanoporous media affected by fluid and geometrical properties of the porous structure. We performed sensitivity analyses on the fluid and rock characteristics such as the Euler number, gas–water interfacial area, water film area, capillary pressure, pore size distribution, specific surface area, and wettability. The simulation results revealed the fingering nature of the nonwetting phase. In the imbibition process, the flow pathway of water results in isolated and trapped gas bubble clusters because of the strong attraction between water and solid surfaces. In the drainage process, the pressure difference between the gas phase and the water phase depends on both the capillary pressure and the disjoining pressure due to the presence of water film. Pore topography and specific surface area control the continuity of the fluid phases in the imbibition process. In nonwet systems, the water phase starts fingering in the nanoporous system. The present work elucidates the microscopic ganglia dynamics of gas–water two-phase flow in nanoporous media. The microscopic scale details will help establish the macroscopic flow equation to accurately predict two-phase flow in shale gas, tight oil, and caprock seals.
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April 2022
Research Article|
April 21 2022
Ganglia dynamics during imbibition and drainage processes in nanoporous systems
Special Collection:
Special Issue on the Lattice Boltzmann Method
Tao Zhang (张涛)
;
Tao Zhang (张涛)
1
State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University
, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, China
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Liehui Zhang (张烈辉);
Liehui Zhang (张烈辉)
1
State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University
, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, China
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Yulong Zhao (赵玉龙);
Yulong Zhao (赵玉龙)
1
State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University
, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, China
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Ruihan Zhang (张芮菡);
Ruihan Zhang (张芮菡)
1
State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University
, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, China
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Dongxu Zhang (张东旭)
;
Dongxu Zhang (张东旭)
a)
1
State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University
, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, China
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: ZhangDongxu1992@outlook.com
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Xiao He (何骁);
Xiao He (何骁)
2
PetroChina Southwest Oil & Gasfield Company
, Chengdu, Sichuan 610051, China
3
Sichuan Changning Natural Gas Development Co. Ltd.
, Chengdu, Sichuan 610051, China
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Feng Ge (葛枫);
Feng Ge (葛枫)
2
PetroChina Southwest Oil & Gasfield Company
, Chengdu, Sichuan 610051, China
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Jianfa Wu (吴建发);
Jianfa Wu (吴建发)
2
PetroChina Southwest Oil & Gasfield Company
, Chengdu, Sichuan 610051, China
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Farzam Javadpour
Farzam Javadpour
4
Bureau of Economic Geology, Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, University Station
, Box X, Austin, Texas 78713, USA
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a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: ZhangDongxu1992@outlook.com
Note: This paper is part of the Special Issue on the Lattice Boltzmann Method.
Physics of Fluids 34, 042016 (2022)
Article history
Received:
March 01 2022
Accepted:
April 01 2022
Citation
Tao Zhang, Liehui Zhang, Yulong Zhao, Ruihan Zhang, Dongxu Zhang, Xiao He, Feng Ge, Jianfa Wu, Farzam Javadpour; Ganglia dynamics during imbibition and drainage processes in nanoporous systems. Physics of Fluids 1 April 2022; 34 (4): 042016. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0089950
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