Experimental and Analytical Study of Multidimensional Imbibition in Fractured Porous Media, SUPRI TR-129

摘要

Using an X-ray computerized tomography (CT) scanner, and a novel, CT-compatible core holder, performed a series of experiments to study air and oil expulsion from rock samples by capillary imbibition of water in a three-dimensional geometry. The air-water system was useful in that a relatively large number of experiments can be conducted to delineate physical processes. Different injection rates and fracture apertures were utilized. Two different fracture flow regimes were identified. The ''filling-fracture'' regime shows a plane source that grows in length due to relatively slow water flow through fractures. In the second, ''instantly-filled fracture'' regime, the time to fill the fracture is much less than the imbibition time. Here, imbibition performance scales as the square root of time. In the former regime, the mass of water imbibed scales linearly with time.