Permeability Recovery Research Articles

Evaluation of Permeability Recovery in Precast Concrete with Hybrid Capsules Using Constant-Head Permeability Test as Smart Construction Material

This study investigates the quality characteristics and healing performance of precast concrete incorporating self-healing technology, with the aim of supporting smart city implementation. To enhance the self-healing capabilities of concrete, hybrid self-healing capsules, combining solid capsules and liquid capsules, were utilized, and their applicability and practicality were assessed. The findings revealed that incorporating hybrid self-healing capsules into precast concrete resulted in a reduction in slump by up to 14% and air content by up to 9%. Furthermore, the addition of hybrid capsules led to a maximum reduction in compressive strength of 16% and flexural strength of 18% at 28 days, while demonstrating an increase in healing efficiency as the capsule content increased. The results also indicated that the use of hybrid capsules enhanced the healing efficiency by approximately 16%, 25%, and 32% for mixing ratios of 1%, 3%, and 5%, respectively, with the overall healing efficiency ranging between 75% and 90%. Additionally, the interaction between the hybrid capsules and natural healing mechanisms promoted crystal formation around cracks, thereby significantly improving the long-term durability of the concrete.

Comprehensive evaluation of sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) tablets as a novel solid-state alternative to conventional membrane cleaning agents in gravity-driven filtration systems.

Gravity-driven membrane (GDM) systems are increasingly recognized as sustainable and energy-efficient solutions for decentralized water treatment. However, membrane fouling, particularly by organic matter, remains a significant operational challenge, necessitating regular chemical cleaning to maintain performance. The present study was undertaken to investigate the cleaning efficiency of sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) tablets, a novel solid-state alternative to conventional liquid cleaning agents such as sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), acetic acid, and citric acid. NaDCC tablets, originally developed for drinking water disinfection, offer advantages in terms of transport, storage, and safety compared with conventional liquid formulations. A comparative evaluation of cleaning agents was conducted on hollow fiber membranes used in GDM systems, with the concentration and contact times optimized for each chemical. NaOCl demonstrated the highest permeability recovery, reaching 48.29% at 500 mg L-1 after 12 h, followed closely by NaDCC, with a recovery of 46.55% under similar conditions. Conversely, SLS, acetic acid, and citric acid presented significantly lower recovery rates, with maximum flux restorations of 14.57%, 14.90%, and 16.73%, respectively. These results highlight the comparable performance of NaDCC and NaOCl in addressing organic fouling while offering practical advantages such as greater stability and reduced chemical handling risks. This study highlights the efficacy of NaDCC as a viable detergent for GDM systems, and also provides a comprehensive comparative analysis of the water permeability performances of commercial detergents such as NaOCl, which cause various ecotoxicities, and suggests the feasibility of NaDCC as a chemical detergent in practical membrane processes. Our findings contribute to the development of more sustainable and cost-effective membrane-cleaning protocols that enhance long-term operational efficiency and minimize environmental impacts.

Research and Performance Evaluation of Environmentally Friendly Shale Inhibitor TIL-NH2 for Shale Gas Horizontal Wells.

Wellbore instability caused by hydration during the development of shale gas reservoirs poses significant challenges to drilling engineering. In this study, a novel and environmentally friendly shale inhibitor, TIL-NH2, was synthesized via free radical polymerization using 1-vinylimidazole and N-(2-bromoethyl)-1,3-propanediamine dihydrobromide as the main raw materials. The molecular structure of TIL-NH2 was characterized by infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. Incorporating imidazole cations and amino bifunctional groups, TIL-NH2 exhibits excellent inhibitory performance and environmental friendliness. Its performance was systematically evaluated through linear swelling tests, shale cuttings rolling recovery tests, permeability recovery experiments, and dynamic adsorption analyses. The results indicate the following: (1) At a concentration of 1.2 wt%, TIL-NH2 reduced the linear swelling height of shale by 65.69%, significantly outperforming traditional inhibitors like KCl and NW-1. (2) Under conditions of 140 °C, the cuttings rolling recovery rate of TIL-NH2 reached 88.12%, demonstrating excellent high-temperature resistance. (3) Permeability recovery experiments showed that at a concentration of 2.0 wt%, TIL-NH2 achieved a permeability recovery rate of 90.58%, effectively mitigating formation damage. (4) Dynamic adsorption experiments indicated that at a concentration of 2.5 wt%, the adsorption capacity tended toward saturation, reaching 26.00 mg/g, demonstrating stable adsorption capability. Additionally, environmental friendliness evaluations revealed that TIL-NH2 has a degradation rate exceeding 90% within 28 days, and its acute toxicity is significantly lower than that of traditional inhibitors like KCl (the LC50 of TIL-NH2 is 1080.3 mg/L, whereas KCl is only 385.4 mg/L). This research provides a high-efficiency and environmentally friendly new inhibitor for green drilling fluid systems in horizontal shale gas wells, offering important references for technological advancements in unconventional energy development.

Damage Mechanism of Deep Coalbed Methane Reservoir and Novel Anti-Waterblocking Protection Technology

Coalbed Methane (CBM) accounts for about 5% of China’s domestic gas supply, which has been regarded as one of the most promising energies for alleviating the energy supply–demand imbalance. Deep CBM reservoirs have the characteristics of low permeability, low porosity, and low water saturation, which easily experience reservoir damage during the drilling process, further affecting the gas productivity. Based on the analysis of coal mineral composition, pore structure distribution, and the surface micromorphology change in coal surface before and after hydration, a possible mechanism for CBM formation damage was revealed. It was found that the damage caused by drilling fluid intrusion can be divided into three stages: stripping, migration, and plugging. Based on the water-sensitive, acid-sensitive, and stress-sensitive evaluation tests, a novel anti-waterblocking agent with both wettability alteration and surface tension reduction was developed; then a reservoir protection drilling fluid for deep coal formation in Daning-Jixian block was constructed; then the reservoir protection performance of drilling fluid was evaluated. The results show that as the concentration of the anti-waterblocking agent FSS increases from 0% to 1%, the surface tension of the water phase is significantly reduced from 72.15 mN/m to 26.58 mN/m, while the maximum contact angle of water on the surface reaches 117°. This enhancement in wettability leads to an improvement in the permeability recovery rate from 56.6% to 80.0%, indicating a substantial reduction in waterblocking effects and better fluid mobility within the reservoir. These findings highlight the efficacy of FSS in mitigating formation damage and optimizing gas production in coalbed methane reservoirs. The drilling fluid has good wettability alteration, inhibition, and sealing performance, which is of great significance for protecting gas well productivity.

Binary composite depolymerization system targeting polymer injection wells: A fusion of experiment and mechanism

With the continuous development and application of polymer flooding technology, the problem of polymer injection well blockage has become increasingly severe, and various plugging removal technologies have emerged. This paper studies the depolymerization agent system, aiming at the blockage problem caused by the injection of polymer HLCHEM-P01 in the mine. The depolymerization agent system is evaluated through gel chromatography analysis, corrosion evaluation, pH sensitivity evaluation, and core displacement experiment. Finally, an efficient, safe, low corrosion and reliable binary compound depolymerization agent system was obtained. It can almost wholly degrade the polymer solution after 90 min. Analyze the mechanism of action of the binary compound depolymerization agent system, which involves specific antagonistic or synergistic interactions. The overall oxidation performance of mixed chemical agents is not just a simple superposition of the oxidation performance of individual chemical agents. The application effect of the depolymerization agent system is significant, and the core permeability recovery reaches over 90%. Effectively solving blockage problems can help improve oilfield efficiency and increase crude oil recovery.

Coacervate-pore complexes for selective molecular transport and dynamic reconfiguration

Despite surging interests on liquid-state coacervates and condensates, confinement within solid-state pores for selective permeation remains an unexplored area. Drawing inspiration from nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), we design and construct coacervate-pore complexes (CPCs) with regulatable permeability. We demonstrate universal CPC formation across 19 coacervate systems and 5 pore types, where capillarity drives the spontaneous imbibition of coacervate droplets into dispersed or interconnected pores. CPCs regulate through-pore transport by forming a fluidic network that modulates guest molecule permeability based on guest-coacervate affinity, mimicking NPC selectivity. While solid constructs of NPC mimicries are limited by spatial fixation of polymer chains, CPCs of a liquid nature feature dynamic healing and rapid phase transitioning for permeability recovery and regulation, respectively. Looking forward, we expect the current work to establish a basis for developing liquid-based NPC analogs using a large pool of synthetic coacervates and biomolecular condensates.

Physiological characteristics of microbial transformation during chronic exposure to triclosan as a hydrophobic antibacterial agent and post-antibacterial cessation

ABSTRACT The use of triclosan (TCS) in hygiene products and other materials raises concerns about increased antimicrobial resistance. Research has shown that bacteria can develop resistance to TCS, but there is limited understanding of how bacterial behavior changes after TCS is removed. This study focuses on how bacteria adapt to prolonged TCS exposure and recover after its removal. It aims to improve practices for using antimicrobial agents in sanitation products and emphasize the importance of understanding exposure and recovery times to prevent resistance development. The study evaluated the bacterial behavior, determining the minimum inhibition concentration of TCS that 90% of Escherichia coli was inhibited (MIC90), predicting bacterial growth kinetics using the Modified Gompertz model and membrane permeability recovery. Bacteria showed a significant increase in resistance levels during exposure, with the MIC90 steadily increasing over 30 days and peaking at 16 mg/L. Upon removal, there was a notable 2-fold decrease in resistance after 10 days of reculturing in a non-chemical medium, likely due to restructuring changes in cell membranes. Therefore, in addition to reducing the occurrence of antibacterial agents in the environment, advanced treatments for eliminating antibacterial resistance should be performed on wastewater before being discharged into the environment.

Synthesis and performance evaluation of polymer-ceramic composite microcapsules as reservoir protectant for natural gas hydrate drilling.

Natural gas hydrate is a promising unconventional natural gas source due to its high energy density and huge global reserves. During exploitation, the drilling fluid may invade the hydrate formation and induce hydrate decomposition, causing reservoir damage. Herein, a novel reservoir protectant made by bio-degradable temporary plugging material (BDTPM) was developed in the form of polymer-ceramic composite microcapsules. As an additive to the drilling fluid, the BDTPM can minimize drilling fluid intrusion by plugging the reservoir during drilling and afterwards maximize permeability recovery by degrading the material. The particle size distribution was in the range of 1-130μm. The optimal mass ratio between modified ceramic particles, ethyl cellulose and epoxy resin was found to be 4:2:1. The plugging rate was 100% when ethyl cellulose and epoxy resin were mixed to coat the ceramic particles to form BDTPM, and the plugging performance was the best. At a temperature close to the typical hydrate reservoir environment (5°C), 0.02 wt% low-temperature complex enzyme can degrade BDTPM, and the permeability recovery rate is 64.66%. The efficient reservoir protectant developed in this work could play an important role in the successful drilling of natural gas hydrate reservoirs.

Evaluating the effectiveness of innovative pervious concrete pavement system for mitigating urban heat island effects, de-icing, and de-clogging

The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect and water runoff pose significant challenges in urban environments. This research aimed to mitigate the UHI effect through the implementation of an innovative pervious concrete pavement (IPCP) system. Furthermore, the study investigated the main obstacles associated with conventional permeable pavements, such as clogging and vulnerability to freeze-thaw damage. To achieve this goal, a physical model apparatus was developed to simulate temperature variations, de-icing processes, and clogging incidents in the IPCP system. This apparatus was specifically designed with distinct sections for both the pervious concrete layer and the subbase layer. The findings revealed that careful selection of an appropriate subbase material significantly contributed to reducing the temperature rise (up to 37 %) under varying environmental conditions by enhancing evaporative cooling capacity. Additionally, the pavement simulation apparatus featured a dual-function drainage system. This system not only regulated the water level within the pavement by draining excess water but also addressed clogging (with up to 97 % permeability recovery) and de-icing concerns through the application of air pressure and hot water injection, respectively.

Sacrificial MoS2-Polyelectrolyte membranes for fouling control in nanofiltration and reverse osmosis

Sacrificial membranes have emerged as a promising solution to mitigate membrane fouling through their ability to be removed and regenerated while preserving membrane integrity and performance. In this study, we synthesized sacrificial trilayers on a commercial polyamide nanofiltration membrane using layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets and polyelectrolytes. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) studies showed the trilayers to be MoS2-dominant by mass and have a total areal density of 2.37 μg/cm2 after the deposition of two trilayers. The trilayer membrane showed a slight decrease in water permeability and an increase in calcium chloride rejection compared to the pristine nanofiltration membrane. The trilayer membrane demonstrated improved organic fouling resistance over the pristine nanofiltration membrane, maintaining permeability throughout six consecutive cycles. Interestingly, the trilayer membrane after gypsum scaling exhibited sacrificial layer removal and permeability recovery with simple hydraulic cleaning. This suggests the potential for membrane regeneration and sustained fouling resistance that may be achieved by utilizing disruptive interactions with the trilayer materials. In conclusion, sacrificial membranes made of MoS2 nanosheets and polyelectrolytes exhibited excellent organic and inorganic fouling resistance and promising potential for layer removal and regeneration.

Rejuvenated end-of-life reverse osmosis membranes for landfill leachate treatment and reuse water reclamation

Landfills remain a prevalent method for municipal solid waste disposal, yet concerns persist regarding leachate generation and its environmental impact. This research paper investigates the reuse of end-of-life reverse osmosis membranes for treating landfill leachate (LL) after their rejuvenation. The rejuvenation process involved a specific chemical cleaning procedure that allows for permeability recovery without compromising the membrane rejection capacity when compared to o pristine reverse osmosis. It was also explored the hypothesis how previous membrane use affects the rejuvenation process by considering end-of-life membranes used for desalination of brackish water and treated water. While both could be effectively rejuvenated, those used for brackish desalination were more susceptible to irreversible fouling. In such cases, recycling the membrane and converting it to porous ultrafiltration or microfiltration membranes is recommended. For membranes previously used for treated water desalination, it was observed high efficiency in LL treatment across multiple filtration cycles. The average flux for these membranes corresponded to 6.9 ± 0.4 L/m2h (operating pressure: 10 bar), and the rejection were greater than 89.4 % for chemical oxygen demand and 98.6 % for color. In complement, it was investigated the contribution of pretreatment with ultrafiltration membranes. Ultrafiltration was effective in preventing membrane fouling and improving the physicochemical quality of reclaimed water from landfill leachate. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the potential reuse of end-of-life reverse osmosis membranes from treated water desalination plant for LL treatment, contributing to sustainable waste management and wastewater treatment solutions.

Optimization on self-assembled ultra-micro foam system for carbon dioxide flooding

Given the problem that the conventional foam injection and salt resistance are poor, the oil displacement effect is not obvious, and it is difficult to enhance oil recovery in the ultra-low permeability and high salinity reservoirs of Yanchang Oilfield, it is imperative to study a new foam flooding agent. Based on the surfactant’s self-assembled properties, foaming agent, stabilizer and complexing agent were screened in the absence of polymer and non-alkali. Three sets of self-assembly worm-like micelle systems were screened, and then a set of carbon dioxide foaming system was selected through comparative analysis: 0.50 wt% EAPMAC-12 + 0.20 wt% SDS + 0.09 wt% TEOA + 0.08 wt% EDTA. Under this condition, its viscosity, foaming volume, foam half-life and foam composite index are 18.8 mpa·s, 531 mL, 25 min and 9956 mL·min, respectively. Under the condition of the ratio of gas to liquid 3:1, the ultra-micro foam was obtained by gas–liquid co-injection in the sand pack, and the foam was round rather than the traditional pentagonal or hexagonal shape and the size was 5–31 um, indicating that the foam had good injection. Oil displacement experiment showed the average enhanced recovery rate was 12.84 % in ultra-low permeability cores, indicating that the foam had good oil displacement effect in ultra-low permeability reservoirs.

Super-hydrophobic ceramic membrane with dense and robust silane grafting for efficient water-in-oil emulsion separation

Separate water from water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions is essential in oil resources recycling and wastewater treatment. Hydrophobic ceramic membranes (HCM) have shown great potential in the dehydration of W/O emulsions but developing high-performance HCM is still a challenge due to the difficulty in hydrophobic modification of ceramic membranes. In this study, an HCM with high grafting density and robust structure was prepared by the grafting silane coupling agent onto an attapulgite (ATP) ceramic membrane. The hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HDTMS) was chosen for membrane surface modification considering its reaction activity and stability based on molecular dynamic simulation. The effect of the HDTMS contents in the grafting solution and reaction time on the membrane properties were examined. The ATP membrane grafted by HDTMS solution with a content of 9600 ppm for 24 h had a water contact angle of 161° and oil permeability larger than 2207.5 L·m−2·h−1·bar−1 (LMHB). When dealing with W/O emulsions with a water content of 10000 ppm, the steady permeability, permeability recovery ratio, and water rejection of ATP-based HCM was 362 LMHB, 97 %, and 99 %, respectively. Ascribe to the –OH-rich nature of ATP, the performance of HCM in this work is superior to most membranes including Al2O3, ZrO2, and SiC. Hydrophobic-modified ATP provides a new idea for the development of high-performance HCM based on natural mineral ceramics.

Internal blocking and bonding to strengthen the mechanical properties and prevent collapse and leakage of fragmented coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs by cohesive drilling fluids

Exploiting coalbed methane (CBM) not only provides clean energy but also reduces the risk of gas explosions in coal mining. CBM reservoirs have low mechanical strength due to poor continuity, strong heterogeneity, and rich natural fractures, which bring about wellbore collapse and leakage during the drilling operations of CBM wells. As for fragmented coalbed methane reservoirs, plugging the leakage channel and increasing the density of drilling fluid would result in new collapse problems and leakage. To achieve this, we developed a cohesive fuzzy ball drilling fluid (FBDF) to adhere fragmented coal particles from the discontinuous phase to the continuous phase and strengthen their mechanical properties to prevent collapse and leakage. The microcosmic interaction of coal seams with different fluid systems and adhesive properties have been comprehensively evaluated. The mechanical parameters of coal plugs treated with common potassium chloride drilling fluid (PCDF), polymer drilling fluid (PDF), and FBDF were carefully compared through uniaxial and triaxial experiments. Additionally, the adhesive mechanism of FBDF to coal fines was comprehensively discussed. The results showed that the FBDF would form an elastic mesh structure through hydrophobic association, and bond the small particles of coal debris together to form a stable structure similar to “steel bar-concrete” “macromolecule-particle”. The viscous force on the surface of coal rocks treated by FBDF was higher than that of coal plungers treated by PCDF or PDF. The uniaxial compressive strength of core samples treated by FBDF was increased by 47.1%, while the modulus of elasticity, Poisson's ratio, and brittleness coefficient were decreased by 19.94%, 11.95%, and 4%, respectively, compared to dry coal plug. FBDF also showed preferential plugging and permeability recovery abilities. The FBDF fluids have been successfully applied in two CBM wells characterized by “top leakage and bottom collapse”, neither collapse nor leakage occurred during the drilling process. It provided a new internal blocking and bonding technology for fragmented reservoirs.

Macroscopic experimental study and microscopic phenomenon analysis of damage self-healing in salt rock

Salt rock is characterized by a low porosity, low permeability and self-healing ability, and it is one of the most common materials used for underground energy storage and construction in underground nuclear waste repositories. Studying the healing of macroscopic cracks in salt rock under different conditions is important for ensuring the stability of the rock surrounding a salt cavern. To evaluate the healing ability and effect of cracks in salt rock at the macroscale, two tests were designed to directly assess the healing ability of salt rock by analyzing the tensile strength and permeability recovery of healed crack surface. Furthermore, the microstructure of the healed macroscopic fractures in salt rock was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the microscopic mechanisms of salt rock damage healing were analyzed. (1) The results show that the presence of water is an important condition for the healing of cracks in salt rocks. Fully fractured salt rock cracks can heal at a low pressure of 160 kPa, and the uniaxial tensile strength of the healed specimens can reach a maximum of 121.1 kPa. It was found via computed tomography (CT) that a healed crack was still a weak surface in the whole specimen. (2) Increases in temperature, environmental humidity, and normal stress all promote the self-healing of salt rock fractures. Based on the experimental data, a model describing the evolution of salt rock damage healing variables with respect to temperature, humidity, and stress was established. It was also observed that the change in salt rock damage healing variables over time during the healing process can be represented by a first-order exponential decay function. (3) Using SEM, detailed micro healing experiments were conducted on NaCl single crystal and impurity-containing salt rock specimens. The healing characteristics of intracrystalline cracks and intercrystalline cracks were studied. It was observed that salt rock damage healing manifests at the microscopic level as the filling of microcracks and crack segmentation caused by grain growth. Additionally, the presence of a certain amount of impurities was found to promote the growth of internal structures that heal cracks within salt rock. These findings are of great significance for evaluating the stability and tightness of the surrounding rock of salt cavern reservoirs.

Analysis of methane diffusion on permeability rebound and recovery in coal reservoirs: Implications for deep coalbed methane-enhanced extraction

A proper understanding of the effect of methane diffusion on coal reservoir permeability rebound and recovery is essential, as coal reservoir permeability is the key parameter influencing the efficiency of coalbed methane migration and computational research on it is lacking. In this paper, the multifield coupling model for methane migration was established. Then, two parameters, the influence coefficient of diffusion on permeability rebound (DPRB) and the influence coefficient of diffusion on permeability recovery (DPRC), were proposed to quantify the effect of methane diffusion on rebound and recovery of coal reservoir permeability. Subsequently, we used COMSOL software to study the variation rules of the coal reservoir permeability rebound time, permeability recovery time, and permeability rebound value, DPRB, and DPRC for different geologic parameters. The results shown that the permeability rebound time and recovery time are proportional to the coal seam initial pressure, but inversely proportional to the initial permeability and initial diffusion coefficient. The rebound value decreases with increasing coal seam initial pressure and initial permeability, but ascends with rising initial diffusion coefficient. DPRB declines with increasing coal seam initial pressure, initial permeability, and initial diffusion coefficient, but they are all greater than 0.7, indicating that methane diffusion has a significant effect on permeability rebound. The DPRC values for different coal seam initial pressures, initial permeabilities, and initial diffusion coefficients are above 0.98, which implies that methane diffusion dominates the permeability recovery process. Finally, a conceptual model was presented to research the mechanism of diffusion influence on rebound and recovery of coal reservoir permeability, and the implications for enhanced drainage of deep coalbed methane were discussed. Therefore, the results of this paper can provide a theoretical foundation for deep coalbed methane-enhanced extraction.

Research and Application of Temporary Plugging Agent Technology for High-Pressure Wells in Gas Storage Facilities

Before various construction of gas storage well, in order to ensure safety, the reservoir must be temporarily blocked, degassed by circulation and no gas in the well can be operated. There are many temporary plugging methods for oil and gas wells. This paper studies the more advanced micro mesh gel temporary plugging technology in the industry and its application in gas storage wells, which mainly solves the problems of poor degradation backflow effect and difficult permeability recovery caused by weak formation stability after temporary plugging of gas storage wells. Research points: (1) On the basis of ordinary gel, through the fusion with cross-linking agent with special structure, a micron network polymer with significant steric hindrance effect on water molecules is finally formed, which improves the strength and stability of the gel system. (2) Add hexamethylene tetramine, bisphenol propane, delayed cross-linking agent and stabilizer into the polymer aqueous solution. It is verified by laboratory tests that the micron mesh gel can be formed after constant temperature coagulation for 3h~70h at ambient temperature of 90°C~170°C. (3) The temperature resistance, permeability and gel breaking of micron mesh gel are tested in the laboratory, and the results can meet the construction requirements. (4) After the temporary plugging operation of Well Su 49K-2X in the gas storage reservoir of Huabei Oilfield is completed, the degradation products of gel breaking will flow back smoothly to ensure that the well can be put into normal injection and production quickly. The test results show that: (1) Micron mesh gel has the advantages of long plugging validity, high temperature resistance, low viscosity after gel breaking, no residue, thorough gel breaking, no formation plugging pollution, and no impact on the original reservoir permeability. It is a new green plugging technology suitable for deep buried high-temperature depleted oil and gas reservoirs. (2) Before construction, the well temperature shall be measured to conduct test injection, so as to prevent gas invasion from affecting the construction effect. The pump injection displacement is designed to be redundant, so as to prevent the low molecular solution from not reaching the design position in the well on time, and the formation of solid rubber plugs at other positions in the well from affecting the construction.

Comparative analysis of permeability rebound and recovery of tectonic and intact coal: Implications for coalbed methane recovery in tectonic coal reservoirs

The permeability rebound and recovery of coal reservoirs is one of the key factors affecting the efficient recovery of coalbed methane (CBM). Most studies focus on the permeability rebound and recovery of intact coal reservoirs. Conversely, the permeability rebound characteristics of tectonic coal have only been rarely investigated. In this paper, an improved fully coupled mathematical model for methane transport of tectonic coal and intact coal seam was established. Then, the phenomenon of permeability rebound and recovery was analyzed theoretically, and the permeability rebound time, rebound value and recovery time were proposed to compare the difference in permeability evolution. In addition, the permeability rebound characteristics of tectonic and intact coal were evaluated for different geological parameters of coal reservoirs. The results indicate that the rebound time and recovery time of both intact and tectonic coal increase with the increase of initial gas pressure. As the initial permeability increases, the permeability rebound time of intact and tectonic coal show a decreasing trend. The permeability rebound time of intact coal decreases with increasing initial diffusion coefficient, while that of tectonic coal shows the opposite trend. Furthermore, the change in permeability recovery time for tectonic coal is 6.59 times larger than for intact coal, indicating that the effect of permeability rebound phenomenon is more significant during gas extraction in tectonic coal reservoirs. Finally, a conceptual model was proposed to explain the differential mechanism of permeability rebound between tectonic and intact coal, and its implications for CBM recovery in tectonic coal reservoirs was discussed. Therefore, the results presented in this paper can provide a theoretical basis for the efficient development of CBM in tectonic coal reservoirs.

Study on improving the crack self-healing width and depth based on microbial mineralization modified by Ca–Al bimetallic hydroxides

In-depth research was conducted on the application of an inorganic mineral composite microbiological remediation agent in mortar specimens with varying crack widths. Firstly, the remediation agent's efficacy in repairing cracks was validated through surface observations and macroscopic performance tests, including methods such as crack surface image capture, crack water permeability recovery rate testing, and crack ultrasonic velocity recovery testing. Subsequently, this study investigated whether the inorganic mineral and microbiological components in the remediation agent played a role by examining the repair products within the cracks. Material composition was identified using techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The primary minerals identified were layered double hydroxides and calcium carbonate. Furthermore, it was found that CI− and SO42− ions were immobilized within the interlayers of layered double hydroxides, aligning with the expected objectives of the experiment, thus confirming the feasibility of this study. Finally, the self-healing mechanism of cracks in this experiment was elucidated through a schematic diagram, demonstrating that the use of layered double hydroxides as inorganic minerals improved the microenvironment of the crack area, lowered the pH in the crack region, providing a favorable environment for microbial growth and mineralization. Additionally, these minerals could adsorb erosive ions such as CI− and SO42−, thereby enhancing the durability of cement-based materials.

Pore structure characterization and its influence on aqueous phase trapping damage in tight gas sandstone reservoirs.

Aqueous phase trapping (APT), which is one of the most prominent damages, seriously restricts the natural gas production in tight gas sandstone with low permeability. Pore size and microscopic pore structures are the most important factors to determine the water blocking damage. In this paper, 9 core samples from tight gas sandstone with various physical properties were employed, and the pore size distribution (PSD) of the core samples were investigated by high pressure mercury intrusion tests (HPMI). Results showed that the porosity of core samples ranges from 5.68% to 13.7%, and the permeability ranges from 0.00456 to 7.86 mD, which is a typical tight reservoir with strong heterogeneity. According to the HPMI capillary curve, the cores can be divided into two types: Type I and Type II, and the pore sizes of type I are larger than that of type II. Fractal distributions were obtained using HPMI data to further determine the pore structure characteristics of tight reservoirs. The pore structures of tight sandstones display the multifractal fractal feature: D1 corresponding to macro-pores, and D2 corresponding to fractal dimension of micro-pores. Furthermore, APT damage was determined by the permeability recovery ratios (Kr) after gas flooding tests. The correlation of Kr and PSD and fractal dimensions were jointly analyzed in tight gas sandstone. Although positive correlations between pore size parameters and the permeability recovery ratios were observed with relatively weak correlations, for those core samples with very close permeability, pore size parameters (both permeability and PSD) is inadequate in clarifying this damage. The fractal dimension can well describe the complexity and heterogeneity of flow channels in pores, which can become the determining factor to distinguish the flow capacity of tight sandstone. The D2 for samples of type I and type II exhibited a good negative relation with Kr with a correlation coefficient of 0.9878 and 0.7723, respectively. The significance of this finding is that for tight gas sandstone, fractal dimensions, especially the small pore fractal dimension (D2), can be used to predict the possible APT damage very well.