MFPCS - Multiphase flow (UK3.4)
Pore wetting measurement and study CO2 storage at pore scale and core samples
UoEdinburgh
capture
storage
Projects with Undefined Type
Novel EOR technique for the depleted oil reservoirs of Upper Assam Basin with simultaneous CO2 Capture and Sequestration.
Transport of three phase flow in porous media for CO2 storage and enhanced oil recovery.
Fig 1. Schematic of experimental setup for the measurement of pore structure, pore wettability etc on two-phase flow in a pore network, for example micro-bubble dislodging pressure in a single channel of a pore network.
Fig 2
Fig 3. Pressure Profile for the displacement of water by CO2 in a single pore
Fig 4. Resistance profile for the displacement of water by CO2 in a single pore
Fig. 5. Effect of CO2 phase on pore wettability measured using above rig.
Fig.6. Experimental setup for water core flooding, CO2–water displacements, CO2–oil displacements in core samples.
Fig. 7. Effet of CO2 phase on relative permeability during CO2-water displacements.
Fig 8. Effect of CO2 phase on Water production of gas CO2-water, liquid CO2-water and supercritical CO2-water systems.
The rigs enable quantitative analysis of the impact of pore structure, pore wettability, liquid viscosity and surface tension on the displacement of oil by water and CO2 in pores and network structure, and the displacement of water by CO2. Our approach is significantly different from core sample tests and the experiments of 2D pore network models. Data from core sample tests is difficult to interpret in terms of the heterogeneous chemical and physical properties of rocks; outputs from the study of 2D pore network models is microvisual data, photographs and video footage, which is an observation of flow behaviour. We aim to answer how the heterogeneity of rocks and fluids affect CO2 trapping, CO2 migration, CO2 displacement and oil displacement. For example, the effect of pore size on the displacement of water by CO2 or oil has been measured. Further experiments indicate that the pore resistance to natural gas is higher than to CO2 which has implication for CO2 storage. We also measured the dislodging pressure of microtubules in an individual channel of a pore network. Several articles have been published in Langmuir, Chemical Engineering Science etc.
Scientific Environment
General: Located in the chemical processes lab at School f Engineering with its available infrastructures and services.
Special: See brief instrumentation description above.
State of the Art, Uniqueness & Specific Advantages
The experimental system is unique for
• Analysis of the impact of pore structure, pore wettability, liquid viscosity and surface tension on the displacement of oil by water and CO2 in pores, and the displacement of water by CO2
• Applications in Enhanced Oil Recovery, Carbon Storage and Drug Delivery
Quality Control / Quality Assurance (QA)
Activities / Tests / Data are
State of Quality: n/a
Facility Availability
Unit of Access (UA)
Day
Availability per Year (in UA)
30 days
Duration of a Typical Access (Average) and Number of External Users Expected for that Access
1–5 days
Operational or Other Constraints
Specific Risks
n/a
Legal Issues
Access to SINTEF ER lab will require acceptance of safety and security policies and training.