Capillary effects in drainage in heterogeneous porous media: Continuum modeling, experiments and pore network simulations

摘要

We investigate effects of capillary heterogeneity induced by variations in permeability in the direction of displacement in heterogeneous porous media under drainage conditions. The investigation is three-pronged and uses macroscopic simulation, based on the standard continuum equations, experiments with the use of an acoustic technique and pore network numerical models. It is found that heterogeneity affects significantly the saturation profiles, the effect being stronger at lower rates. A good agreement is found between the continuum model predictions and the experimental results based on which it can be concluded that capillary heterogeneity effects in the direction of displacement act much like a body force (e.g. gravity). A qualitative agreement is also found between the continuum approach and the pore network numerical models, which is expected to improve when finite size effects in the pore network simulations diminish. The results are interpreted with the use of invasion percolation concepts.