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Article
Optic Imaging of Two-Phase Flow Behavior in Nano-Scale Fractures
Proceedings of the SPE USA Unconventional Resources Conference (2013, The Woodlands, TX)
  • Qihua Wu
  • Baojun Bai, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Yinfa Ma, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Jeongtae Ok
  • Keith B. Neeves
  • Xiaolong Yin
Abstract

Gas in tight sand and shale exists in underground reservoirs with microdarcy (uD) or even nanodarcy 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 nano-range channels is of major importance for both simulation studies and calculations of the relative permeability of gas in tight shale gas systems. In this work, a lab-on-chip approach for direct visualization of the fluid flow behavior in nanochannels was developed using an advanced single-molecule imaging system combined with a nano-fluidic chip. Displacements of two-phase flow in 100 nm depth channels were characterized. Specifically, the two-phase gas slippage effect was investigated. Under experimental conditions, the gas slippage factor increased as the water saturation increased. The two-phase flow mechanism in nano-scale channels was proposed and proved by the flow pattern images. The results are crucial for permeability measurement and gas slippage factor determination for unconventional shale gas systems with nano-scale pores.

Meeting Name
SPE USA Unconventional Resources Conference (2013: Apr. 10-12, The Woodlands, TX)
Department(s)
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
Second Department
Chemistry
Sponsor(s)
Schlumberger
Fekete
CorsiTech
Keywords and Phrases
  • Direct visualization,
  • Experimental conditions,
  • Gas slippage effect,
  • Nanoscale channels,
  • Permeability measurements,
  • Relative permeability,
  • Simulation studies,
  • Single-molecule imaging,
  • Flow of fluids,
  • Molecules,
  • Nanotechnology,
  • Petroleum reservoir evaluation,
  • Resource valuation,
  • Shale,
  • Two phase flow,
  • Underground reservoirs,
  • Gas permeability
International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
978-1627481786
Document Type
Article - Conference proceedings
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2013 Society of Petroleum Engineers, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
4-1-2013
Publication Date
01 Apr 2013
Disciplines
Citation Information
Qihua Wu, Baojun Bai, Yinfa Ma, Jeongtae Ok, et al.. "Optic Imaging of Two-Phase Flow Behavior in Nano-Scale Fractures" Proceedings of the SPE USA Unconventional Resources Conference (2013, The Woodlands, TX) (2013) p. 346 - 357
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/yinfa-ma/54/