Optic Imaging of Two-Phase-Flow Behavior in 1D Nanoscale Channels

Authors
Qihua Wu (Missouri University of Science and Technology) | Baojun Bai (Missouri University of Science and Technology) | Yinfa Ma (Missouri University of Science and Technology) | Jeong Tae Ok (Colorado School of Mines) | Xiaolong Yin (Colorado School of Mines) | Keith Neeves (Colorado School of Mines)
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/164549-PA
Document ID
SPE-164549-PA
Publisher
Society of Petroleum Engineers
Source
SPE Journal
Volume
19
Issue
05
Publication Date
October 2014
Document Type
Journal Paper
Pages
793 - 802
Language
English
ISSN
1086-055X
Copyright
2014.Society of Petroleum Engineers
Disciplines
1.10 Drilling Equipment, 5.8.2 Shale Gas, 2.4.3 Sand/Solids Control
Keywords
Mutiple- phase flow, Shale Gas, Visualization, Nanopores
Downloads
8 in the last 30 days
532 since 2007
Show more detail
SPE Member Price: USD 10.00
SPE Non-Member Price: USD 30.00
View rights & permissions

Summary

Gas in tight sand and shale exists in underground reservoirs with microdarcy (µd) or even nanodarcy (nd) permeability ranges; these reservoirs are characterized by small pore throats and crack-like interconnections between pores. The size of the pore throats in shale may differ from the size of the saturating-fluid molecules by only slightly more than one order of magnitude. The physics of fluid flow in these rocks, with measured permeability in the nanodarcy range, is poorly understood. Knowing the fluid-flow behavior in the nanorange channels is of major importance for stimulation design, gas-production optimization, and calculations of the relative permeability of gas in tight shale-gas systems. In this work, a laboratory-on-chip approach for direct visualization of the fluid-flow behavior in nanochannels was developed with an advanced epi-fluorescence microscopy method combined with a nanofluidic chip. Displacements of two-phase flow in 100-nm-depth slit-like channels were reported. Specifically, the two-phase gas-slip effect was investigated. Under experimental conditions, the gas-slippage factor increased as the water saturation increased. The two-phase flow mechanism in 1D nanoscale slit-like channels was proposed and proved by the flow-pattern images. The results are crucial for permeability measurement and understanding fluid-flow behavior for unconventional shale-gas systems with nanoscale pores.

File Size   1 MBNumber of Pages   10

References

Buchgraber, M., Clemens, T., Castanier, L.M. et al. 2009. The Displacement of Viscous Oil by Associative Polymer Solutions. Paper SPE 122400 presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, Louisiana, 4–7 October. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/122400-MS.

Civan, F., Rai, C.S., and Sondergeld, C.H. 2011. Shale-Gas Permeability and Diffusivity Inferred by Improved Formulation of Relevant Retention and Transport Mechanisms. Transport in Porous Media 86 (3): 925–944.

Dullien, F.A.L. 1992. Porous Media: Fluid Transport and Pore Structure, Vol. 2.  San Diego, California: Academic Press.

Fulton, P.F. 1951. The Effect of Gas Slippage on Relative Permeability Measurements. Producers Monthly 15 (12): 14–19.

Funatsu, T., Harada, Y., Tokunaga, M. et al. 1995. Imaging of Single Fluorescent Molecules and Individual Atp Turnovers by Single Myosin Molecules in Aqueous Solution. Nature 374 (6522):  555–559.

Ikeda, M. Tang, G.-Q., Ross, C.M. et al. 2007. Oil Recovery and Fracture Reconsolidation of Diatomaceous Reservoir Rock by Water Imbibition at Elevated Temperature. Paper SPE 110515 presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Anaheim, California, 11–14 November. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/110515-MS.

Ikeda, M., Tang, G.-Q., Ross, C. et al. 2008. Alteration of Reservoir Diatomites by Hot Water Injection. Paper SPE 114183 presented at the SPE Western Regional and Pacific Section AAPG Joint Meeting, Bakersfield, California, 31 March–2 April.  http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/114183-MS.

Javadpour, F. 2009. Nanopores and Apparent Permeability of Gas Flow in Mudrocks (Shales and Siltstone). J. Cdn. Pet. Tech. 48 (8): 16–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/09-08-16-PA.

Javadpour, F. and Fisher, D. 2008. Nanotechnology-Based Micromodels and New Image Analysis To Study Transport in Porous Media. J. Cdn. Pet. Tech. 47 (2).  http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/08-02-30-PA.

Javadpour, F., Fisher, D., and Unsworth, M. 2007. Nanoscale Gas Flow in Shale Gas Sediments. J. Cdn. Pet. Tech. 46 (10): 55–61. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/07-10-06-PA.

Jones, F.O. and Owens, W. 1980. A Laboratory Study of Low-Permeability Gas Sands. J. Pet Tech 32 (9): 1631–1640. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/7551-PA.

Klinkenberg, L. 1941. The Permeability of Porous Media to Liquids and Gases. Drilling and Production Practice.

Lanning, L.M. and Ford, R.M. 2002. Glass Micromodel Study of Bacterial Dispersion in Spatially Periodic Porous Networks. Biotechnol. & Bioengin.78 (5): 556–566.

Li, K. and Horne, R. 2004. Experimental Study of Gas Slippage in Two-Phase Flow. SPE Res Eval & Eng 7 (6): 409–415. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/89038-PA.

Loosveldt, H., Lafhaj, Z., and Skoczylas, F. 2002. Experimental Study of Gas and Liquid Permeability of a Mortar. Cement and Concrete Res. 32 (9): 1357–1363.  http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/S0008-8846(02)00793-7.

Lysenko, V., Vitiello, J., Remaki, B. et al. 2004. Gas Permeability of Porous Silicon Nanostructures. Phys. Rev. E. 70 (1): 017301. http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.10.017301.

Qingjie, L. Baohua, L., Xianbing, L. et al. 2002. The Effect of Water Saturation on Gas Slip Factor by Pore-Scale Network Modeling. Paper presented at the SCA 2002 Symposium, Monterey, California, September.

Rose, W.D. 1948. Permeability and Gas-Slippage Phenomena. Paper presented at the 28th Annual Meeting of Topical Committee on Production Technology.

Ross, C. and Kovscek, A. 2002. Pore Microstructure and Fluid Distribution in a Diatomaceous Reservoir. Paper SPE 75190 presented at the SPE/DOE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 13–17 April. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/75190-MS.

Rushing, J., Newsham, K., and Fraassen, K. 2003. Measurement of the Two-Phase Gas Slippage Phenomenon and Its Effect on Gas Relative Permeability in Tight Gas Sands. Paper SPE 84297 presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/84297-MS.

Saisorn, S. and Wongwises, S. 2010. The Effects of Channel Diameter on Flow Pattern, Void Fraction and Pressure Drop of Two-Phase Air–Water Flow in Circular Micro-Channels. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Sci. 34 (4): 454–462.

Sampath, K. and Keighin, C. 1982. Factors Affecting Gas Slippage in Tight Sandstones of Cretaceous Age in the Uinta Basin. J. Pet Tech 34 (11): 2715–2720. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/9872-PA.

Swami, V., Clarkson, C., and Settari, A. 2012. Non-Darcy Flow in Shale Nanopores: Do We Have a Final Answer? Paper SPE 162665 presented at the SPE Canadian Unconventional Resources Conference, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, 30 October–1 November.  http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/162665-MS.

Wan, J. and Wilson, J.L. 1994. Visualization of the Role of the Gas-Water Interface on the Fate and Transport of Colloids in Porous Media. Water Resources Res. 30 (1): 11–24.

Wu, Q., Ok, J.T., Sun, Y. et al. 2013. Optic Imaging of Single and Two-Phase Pressure-Driven Flows in Nano-Scale Channels. Lab Chip. 13 (6): 1165–1171.

Xiong, X., Devegowda, D., Villazon, G.G.M. et al. 2012. A Fully-Coupled Free and Adsorptive Phase Transport Model for Shale Gas Reservoirs Including Non-Darcy Flow Effects. Paper SPE 159758 presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, 8–10 October. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/159758-MS.

Yue, J., Chen, G., Yuan, Q. et al. 2007. Hydrodynamics and Mass Transfer Characteristics in Gas–Liquid Flow Through a Rectangular Microchannel. Chem. Engineer. Sci. 62 (7): 2096–2108.