Direct observation of two-phase flow in deformable fractures of shales: A Utica shale example

摘要

Despite the success of hydrocarbon production from unconventional shale reservoirs, the physical processes controlling the production are not yet fully understood. The wettability controlling the two-phase flow in deformable natural fractures of shale is among the processes that still need special attention. With the advances of optical technologies, microfluidics can now be used to observe, measure, and analyse the dynamic changes of flow in fractured systems. However, mimicking the natural wall roughness of the fractures with high precision and having flexibility to allow fracture deformation has remained challenging.