Analysis of permeability for transient two-phase flow in fractal porous media

A relative permeability model for transient two-phase flow in fractal porous media is derived based on the fractal characteristics of pore size distribution and the assumption that porous media consists of capillary bundles. The functions in this model are tortuosity fractal dimension, pore fractal dimension, and maximum and minimum pore diameters. Every parameter has clear physical meaning without the use of empirical constants. Good agreement between model predictions and experimental data is obtained, the sensitive parameters that influence the relative permeability are specified and their effects on relative permeability are discussed.

[1]  N. T. Burdine Relative Permeability Calculations From Pore Size Distribution Data , 1953 .

[2]  Thompson,et al.  Fractal sandstone pores: Implications for conductivity and pore formation. , 1985, Physical review letters.

[3]  Boming Yu,et al.  Permeabilities of unsaturated fractal porous media , 2003 .

[4]  Kewen Li,et al.  An Experimental and Analytical Study of Steam/Water Capillary Pressure , 2001 .

[5]  G. Pope,et al.  A mixed-wet hysteretic relative permeability and capillary pressure model for reservoir simulations , 2003 .

[6]  Yongfu Xu,et al.  Fractal approach to hydraulic properties in unsaturated porous media , 2004 .

[7]  Adrian Bejan,et al.  Heterogeneous porous media as multiscale structures for maximum flow access , 2006 .

[8]  J. Quirk,et al.  Permeability of porous solids , 1961 .

[9]  J. H. Henderson,et al.  Imbibition Relative Permeability in Unconsolidated Porous Media , 1962 .

[10]  Boming Yu,et al.  FRACTAL DIMENSIONS FOR UNSATURATED POROUS MEDIA , 2004 .

[11]  Bryant,et al.  Prediction of relative permeability in simple porous media. , 1992, Physical review. A, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics.

[12]  Jianchao Cai,et al.  Analysis of seepage characters in fractal porous media , 2009 .

[13]  Kewen Li More general capillary pressure and relative permeability models from fractal geometry. , 2010, Journal of contaminant hydrology.

[14]  J. Parlange,et al.  Capillary pressure in a porous medium with distinct pore surface and pore volume fractal dimensions. , 2008, Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics.

[15]  L. Scriven,et al.  Capillary Pressure, Water Relative Permeability, Electrical Conductivity and Capillary Dispersion Coefficient of Fractal Porous Media at Low Wetting Phase Saturations , 1994 .

[16]  Wei Liu,et al.  Fractal Analysis of Permeabilities for Porous Media , 2004 .

[17]  Study of the effect of capillary pressure on the permeability of porous media embedded with a fractal-like tree network , 2011 .

[18]  S. C. Jones,et al.  Graphical Techniques for Determining Relative Permeability From Displacement Experiments , 1978 .

[19]  Boming Yu,et al.  A fractal permeability model for bi-dispersed porous media , 2002 .