Time‐And‐Space Averaging Applied to Intermittent Multiphase Flow Experiments

Abstract Various researchers have studied fluctuations in pore‐scale phase occupancy during multiphase flow in porous media using synchrotron‐based X‐ray microcomputed tomography (micro‐CT). However, the impact of these fluctuations on the concept of a representative volume is not yet fully understo...

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Main Authors: Tingting Wang, James E. McClure, Ying DaWang, Steffen Berg, Cheng Chen, Peyman Mostaghimi, Ryan T. Armstrong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-06-01
Series:Water Resources Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036577
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author Tingting Wang
James E. McClure
Ying DaWang
Steffen Berg
Cheng Chen
Peyman Mostaghimi
Ryan T. Armstrong
author_facet Tingting Wang
James E. McClure
Ying DaWang
Steffen Berg
Cheng Chen
Peyman Mostaghimi
Ryan T. Armstrong
author_sort Tingting Wang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Various researchers have studied fluctuations in pore‐scale phase occupancy during multiphase flow in porous media using synchrotron‐based X‐ray microcomputed tomography (micro‐CT). However, the impact of these fluctuations on the concept of a representative volume is not yet fully understood. In this study, we performed spatial and temporal averaging of multiphase flow experiments visualized with synchrotron‐based micro‐CT, focusing on oil saturation as the key parameter to determine a representative time‐and‐space average. Our findings revealed that a saturation value representative of both time and space was achieved during fractional flow experiments in drainage mode with fractional flows of 0.8, 0.5, and 0.3. Furthermore, we computed a range of relative permeabilities on the basis of whether momentaneous saturation or time‐and‐space averaged saturation was utilized for direct simulation. Our results highlighted the importance of time‐and‐space averaging in determining a representative relative permeability and indicated that the temporal and spatial scales covered in a typical micro‐CT flow experiment were sufficient to obtain a representative saturation value for sandstone rock under intermittent flow conditions.
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publishDate 2024-06-01
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spelling doaj-art-44fbe47ffc4b4c42860aa8b1a1c8d4e32025-08-20T03:22:18ZengWileyWater Resources Research0043-13971944-79732024-06-01606n/an/a10.1029/2023WR036577Time‐And‐Space Averaging Applied to Intermittent Multiphase Flow ExperimentsTingting Wang0James E. McClure1Ying DaWang2Steffen Berg3Cheng Chen4Peyman Mostaghimi5Ryan T. Armstrong6School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW AustraliaNational Security Institute Virginia Tech Blacksburg VA USASchool of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW AustraliaShell Global Solutions International B.V. Amsterdam The NetherlandsDepartment of Civil Environmental and Ocean Engineering Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken NJ USASchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW AustraliaSchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW AustraliaAbstract Various researchers have studied fluctuations in pore‐scale phase occupancy during multiphase flow in porous media using synchrotron‐based X‐ray microcomputed tomography (micro‐CT). However, the impact of these fluctuations on the concept of a representative volume is not yet fully understood. In this study, we performed spatial and temporal averaging of multiphase flow experiments visualized with synchrotron‐based micro‐CT, focusing on oil saturation as the key parameter to determine a representative time‐and‐space average. Our findings revealed that a saturation value representative of both time and space was achieved during fractional flow experiments in drainage mode with fractional flows of 0.8, 0.5, and 0.3. Furthermore, we computed a range of relative permeabilities on the basis of whether momentaneous saturation or time‐and‐space averaged saturation was utilized for direct simulation. Our results highlighted the importance of time‐and‐space averaging in determining a representative relative permeability and indicated that the temporal and spatial scales covered in a typical micro‐CT flow experiment were sufficient to obtain a representative saturation value for sandstone rock under intermittent flow conditions.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036577multiphase flowsynchrotron‐based micro‐CTintermittencyrelative permeabilitytime‐and‐space averagingrepresentative volume
spellingShingle Tingting Wang
James E. McClure
Ying DaWang
Steffen Berg
Cheng Chen
Peyman Mostaghimi
Ryan T. Armstrong
Time‐And‐Space Averaging Applied to Intermittent Multiphase Flow Experiments
Water Resources Research
multiphase flow
synchrotron‐based micro‐CT
intermittency
relative permeability
time‐and‐space averaging
representative volume
title Time‐And‐Space Averaging Applied to Intermittent Multiphase Flow Experiments
title_full Time‐And‐Space Averaging Applied to Intermittent Multiphase Flow Experiments
title_fullStr Time‐And‐Space Averaging Applied to Intermittent Multiphase Flow Experiments
title_full_unstemmed Time‐And‐Space Averaging Applied to Intermittent Multiphase Flow Experiments
title_short Time‐And‐Space Averaging Applied to Intermittent Multiphase Flow Experiments
title_sort time and space averaging applied to intermittent multiphase flow experiments
topic multiphase flow
synchrotron‐based micro‐CT
intermittency
relative permeability
time‐and‐space averaging
representative volume
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036577
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