Prediction of Multiphase Flow Properties from Network Models

Abstract

The prediction of multiphase transport properties of reservoir rocks has been undertaken. This was done by numerical flow simulation of relative permeability and capillary pressure curves from pore network models extracted from Pore Architecture Models (PAMs). These PAMs are three-dimensional images obtained from 3D image reconstruction of 2D micro-computer tomographic images of the rock structures. Results obtained showed relative permeability depends on pore size distribution; the higher the pore size variability, the higher the wetting characteristics in preference for one of the phases, and the higher is the relative permeability to the non-wetting phase. A uniform pore size structure resulted in more favorable two-phase relative permeability distribution, with the relative permeability depending greatly on the phase saturations. Capillary pressure, on the other hand, was found to increase with image resolution.

Keywords: Network Model, Computer Tomography, Relative Permeability, Capillary Pressure

Journal of the Nigerian Association of Mathematical Physics, Volume 19 (November, 2011), pp 351 – 358