Multi-Phase Fluid Flow

1. How exactly extended version of Darcy’s Law characterize Multi-Phase Fluid Flow through a Petroleum Reservoir

by taking into account

(a) the complex fluid dynamics resulting from the coupled effect of viscous, gravity and capillary forces;

(b) phase-changes of the associated fluid phases; &

(c) rising and shrinking of fluid interfaces?

2. Feasible to visualize

the pore structure characteristics

of reservoir rocks

and the flow behavior of pore fluids

(oil, gas & brine)

@ microscopic-scale (10^-06 – 10^-09 m)?

3. To what extent, Digital Rock Physics, X-Ray Computer Tomography, Pore Network Model, Lattice Boltzmann Method, Direct Hydrodynamic Simulation, Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics, or, FEM/FVM, or, VOF/Level-Set/Phase-Field Methods, or, even, Molecular Simulations have been successful so far (considering an implicit interface tracking with the inclusion of contact angles and in the absence of numerical instability: non-physical numerical solutions)?

4. Whether, analyzing multi-phase fluid flow through petroleum reservoirs as a function of ‘Relative Permeability Curves (RPCs)’ would remain to be sufficient enough (even though, the influence of rock-wettability & Pc remains reflected on RPCs – in the absence of explicitly getting into the details on interfacial drag force, occupancy rate of pore fluids, velocity distribution patterns of pore fluids, transport field (retention area), capillary field characterizing capillary forces, slip boundary between two-phase fluids and fluid interfacial as well as recirculation (@ fluid-solid interface; & @ corner space) phenomena that essentially dictate the remaining oil in the pore space)?

Dr Suresh Kumar Govindarajan

Professor [HAG]

IIT Madrs 27-Feb-2025