Validation of Dynamic Coefficient Correlation Related to Dynamic Fluid Flow in Porous Media Using Experimental Results

Abstract

Most traditional descriptions of macroscopic multiphase flow processes are based on an empirical extension of Darcy’s law supplemented with non-linear functional relationships between capillary pressure (Pc), saturation (S) and relative permeability (Kr). New multiphase flow theories have been proposed which indicate that Pc should be given a more general thermodynamic definition and its functional relationships with saturation should be generalized to include a capillary damping coefficient, called dynamic coefficient. Some correlations have been suggested based on numerical studies to relate dynamic coefficient to fluid and porous media characteristic. These correlations should be examined to evaluate whether they can be utilized at various flow conditions and whether the dynamic coefficient has any practical significance on a larger scale. One approach in this regard is to carry out experiments in laboratory accompanied by numerical modeling to simulate the experiments, calculate dynamic coefficient from both experimental and numerical results to validate such correlation. In this paper, the results of laboratory scale experiments on a homogeneous porous media accompanied by modeling two-phase flow at laboratory scale are presented. Simulation results are compared with experimental results to testify the accuracy of proposed enhanced flow equations and dynamic coefficient correlations. It is shown that flow equations need to be extended to account for dynamic effects. The result indicates that another term needs to be included in conventional flow equations to predict flow behavior and displacement efficiencies in heterogeneous media precisely. The results confirm that dynamic effect is a function of different parameters which depend on both porous media and fluids properties. Also proposed correlation is valid in homogeneous porous media and can be applied in heterogeneous porous media with extra parameters considered in the correlation to reflect degree of heterogeneity of porous media. This will be extremely beneficial to studies involved in designing EOR processes and techniques, predicting efficiency when engineers are dealing with geologically complex formations, and updating existing reservoir modeling and simulation tools.