Speaker
Description
In an ongoing laboratory study, we systematically investigate the influence of two-fluid properties and pore-network characteristics—such as geometry and wettability—on two-phase flow in porous media. The primary objective is to assess and quantify end effects arising from the finite length and geometry of model pore networks under varying flow conditions. To this end, steady-state co-injection experiments have been conducted in planar, transparent microfluidic pore networks, including periodic and non-periodic designs fabricated in PDMS, as well as periodic networks fabricated in glass microfluidic chips.
To broaden the scope of the investigation, we further examine flow behavior in high-resolution microfluidic pore networks with realistic geometrical features representative of sandstone-type and vuggy porous media. This approach enables systematic isolation and comparison of the effects of network geometry and wettability across a wide range of flow conditions, spanning more than three orders of magnitude in capillary number and flow-rate ratio. Using ex-core pressure-drop measurements, we extract relative permeability and intrinsic dynamic capillary pressure as functions of flow rate for each system studied.
In parallel, we have developed a dedicated imaging and analysis framework to track the spatiotemporal evolution of interstitial flow statistics under both steady-state conditions and transient perturbations induced by flow-rate increments. The development of fully established interstitial flow is evaluated and correlated with observed flow structures and the magnitude of end effects.
This work provides mechanistic insights that can improve the physical description of two-phase flow in porous media. Ultimately, the goal is to generate flow-dependent relative permeability maps grounded in pore-scale physics, thereby enhancing the specificity, reliability, and predictive capability of reservoir simulation models.
| References | 1. Mouravas, K., Karadimitriou, N., Dimitriadis, P., Giotis, A., Valavanides, M.S., Steeb, H. (2025) "Flow-dependency aspects in SCAL of steady-state two-phase flow in model pore networks", 2025 Annual Symposium Society of Core Analysts, Aug. 25-28, Hanover, Germany, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16806053 2. Karadimitriou, N., Valavanides, M.S., Mouravas, K., Steeb, H. (2023). Flow Dependent Relative Permeability Scaling for Steady-State, Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media: Laboratory Validation on a Microfluidic Network. Petrophysics, 64(5), pp. 656-679. https://doi.org/10.30632/PJV64N5-2023a4 . 3. Valavanides, M.S. (2023). Flowrate Dependency of Steady-State Two-Phase Flows in Pore Networks: Universal, Relative Permeability Scaling Function and System Characteristic Invariants. Transp. in Porous Media, 150, 521-557. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-023-02012-5 4. M.S. Valavanides, 2018 “Review of steady-state two-phase flow in porous media: independent variables, universal energy efficiency map, critical flow conditions, effective characterization of flow and pore network” TiPM 123 (1), https://doi.org/10.1007/S11242-018-1026-1 |
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| Country | Greece |
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