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Special Issue "Fluid Dynamics Modeling in Porous Media"

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A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydraulics and Hydrodynamics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 September 2023 | Viewed by 4143

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sanbai Li

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Guest Editor

School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
Interests: multiphase flow; hydrology; multi-physics coupling; fractured porous media; numerical modeling; geomechanics

Dr. Qinzhuo Liao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

College of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum-Beijing, Beijing 102249, China
Interests: machine learning; surrogate model; reservoir simulation; flow and transport in porous media
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Shihao Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Chevron Corp., Houston, TX, USA
Interests: reservoir engineering; geothermal engineering; multiphysical multiscale computing; machine learning and its applications；CO₂ sequestration and EOR

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Modeling fluid flows through fractured and/or deformable porous media remains an interesting but challenging topic in the geo-energy field. Success in geo-energy resources extraction, energy storage, CO₂ geosequestration, and understanding ore-forming processes relies strongly upon the accurate modeling of single-/multi-phase fluid flow through porous media. The rapid advancement of physics-driven and data-driven approaches provides us with a rare opportunity to simulate and comprehend essential interplay between fluid flow, heat transfer, stress perturbation, chemical reaction, and pore/permeability evolution. The research in fluid dynamics modeling provides high support in the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and the efficient development and utilization of geo-energy resources.

This Special Issue titled “Fluid Dynamics Modeling in Porous Media” is intended to report innovative contributions to fluid dynamics modeling regarding numerical approaches, case studies, and data analytics, which may help advance our understanding of complex fluid flow behaviors underground. Our interests focus on, but are not limited to, the following topics:

Reactive fluid/heat flow in (deformable) porous media;
Development of geothermal energy and hydrocarbons;
Enhanced/engineered geothermal systems;
Fault slip in response to fluid injection;
Geo-sequestration of carbon dioxide;
Underground energy storage;
Ore-forming fluid evolution;
Proppant migration through fracture networks;
Data-driven modeling.

Dr. Sanbai Li
Dr. Qinzhuo Liao
Dr. Shihao Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

fluid flow
geomechanics
chemical reactions
simulation
greenhouse gas
hydrocarbons
geothermal energy
fault reactivation
ore-forming fluid
machine learning

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

Open AccessArticle

Digital Core Permeability Computation by Image Processing Techniques

Murtada Saleh Aljawad

and

Shirish Patil

Water 2023, 15(11), 1995; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15111995 - 24 May 2023

Viewed by 410

Abstract

Calculation of REV (representative elementary volume) properties of geological porous media refers to the process of creating a 3D digital representation of a rock sample, typically obtained from imaging techniques such as X-ray microtomography. This technique allows for a detailed analysis of the internal structure and the properties of rocks, as well as precise calculation of various flow parameters. However, one major challenge with calculation of REV properties of geological porous media is the high computational cost required to generate accurate results, especially for large and complex samples. In this study, we constructed 3D digital cores of dune sand and fractured shale using CT scanning technology, and then used two image processing techniques, namely digital core image resampling and cutting, to reduce the computational cost of calculating digital core permeability. Next, a fast permeability calculation method is employed to reduce the complexity of permeability calculation. Finally, we summarized the applicability of different image processing methods to different rock samples, and provided prerequisites for high computational cost digital core permeability calculation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluid Dynamics Modeling in Porous Media)

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Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Efficient Development Modes of Offshore Heavy Oil and Development Planning of Potential Reserves in China

Taichao Wang

Fengming Liu

and

Xin Li

Water 2023, 15(10), 1897; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15101897 - 17 May 2023

Viewed by 347

Abstract

Thermal recovery is still the most important means to increase heavy oil EOR. With the increase in the recovery factor and the difficulty of exploiting new exploration reserves, the efficient utilization of offshore heavy oil reserves has attracted much attention. However, due to the challenges of high development investments, high operating costs, platform safety factors, and high economic cumulative yield, the offshore heavy oil reserves of nearly 700 million tons have not been effectively utilized. In this paper, Chinese offshore heavy oil reserves were taken as the research object. The indoor one-dimensional experiments were carried out to optimize an applicable development method, and the superheated steam huff and puff was selected as the injection medium for high-speed and high-efficiency development of offshore heavy oil, which verified the great potential of the application of superheated steam in offshore heavy oil thermal recovery. A numerical simulation model for offshore heavy oil superheated steam injection development was established, and a dynamic model considering the thermal cracking of heavy oil was established through historical matching. Through the field numerical simulation models, the whole process development mode of a single sand body, thin interbedded reservoir superheated steam huff and puff turning to superheated steam flooding, and thick layer super heavy oil reservoir with bottom water sidetracking after superheated steam huff and puff for eight cycles was established. Through the numerical simulation method and grey correlation method, the main control factors of superheated steam development of different types of heavy oil reservoirs were determined, and the cumulative oil production charts of different types of reservoirs under the influence of the main control factors were built. The economic evaluation model of superheated steam development of offshore heavy oil was established. Combining multi-specialty of geological, reservoir engineering, drilling and completion, oceanographic engineering, economics, the economic limits of steam injection development under different reserve scales, and engineering conditions of offshore heavy oilfields were clarified. At last, we planned the economic production mode of undeveloped reserves and predicted the construction profile of superheated steam capacity of offshore heavy oil using the production charts and the economic charts. The research results clarify the great potential of thermal recovery development of offshore heavy oil, provide an important basis for the economic development of offshore heavy oil undeveloped reserves, and also provide an important decision for the sustainable and stable production of global heavy oil reservoirs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluid Dynamics Modeling in Porous Media)

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Open AccessArticle

Status and Prospect of Improved Oil Recovery Technology of High Water Cut Reservoirs

Liang Xue

Pengcheng Liu

and

Yun Zhang

Water 2023, 15(7), 1342; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15071342 - 30 Mar 2023

Viewed by 936

Abstract

The high water cut stage is an important stage of the water injection development of oilfields because there are still more oil reserves available for recovery in this stage. Most oilfields have experienced decades of waterflooding development and adjustment. Although waterflooding reservoirs face the problems of the seriously watered-out and highly dispersed distribution of remaining oil, they remain dominant in waterflood development. This paper investigates the current situation of high-water content reservoirs and the methods available to improve oil recovery and elaborates on the fine reservoir description. Furthermore, it analyzes the main technical measures taken during the high water cut period, namely, secondary oil recovery waterflooding technology (including layer system subdivision, well pattern infilling, strengthening of water injection and liquid extraction, closure of high water cut wells, cyclic waterflooding technology, and water injection profile control) and tertiary oil recovery technology (represented by chemical flooding and gas flooding). In addition, this study reveals the mechanisms and effects of these methods on improving waterflooding development. Finally, this paper summarizes improved oil recovery technology and discusses the key directions and development prospects of this technology in enhancing the oil recovery rate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluid Dynamics Modeling in Porous Media)

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Open AccessArticle

Real-Time Simulation of Hydraulic Fracturing Using a Combined Integrated Finite Difference and Discontinuous Displacement Method: Numerical Algorithm and Field Applications

and

Water 2023, 15(5), 938; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15050938 - 28 Feb 2023

Viewed by 826

Abstract

Real-time simulation of hydraulic fracturing operations is of critical importance to the field-scale stimulation applications. In this paper, we present an efficient yet reasonably accurate program for the numerical modeling of dynamic fractures. Our program, named as FracCSM, is based on combined Integrated Finite Difference (IFD) method and Discontinuous Displacement Method (DDM). FracCSM simulates the initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures with DDM and mass/heat transport inside fractures by IFD. The frictional loss within the wellbore is also taken into consideration. In this way, we are able to model the propped height and length of the fractures subject to the stress interference effect. Moreover, FracCSM captures the stress shadow effect of multi-stage fractures. To facilitate the monitoring and decision making during the hydraulic fracturing process, we have developed a general framework that supports real-time simulation of fracture propagation. Our developed program demonstrates sound accuracy in comparison with existing simulators. The novelty of this work is the combined simulation algorithm to simulate the multiphysical process during hydraulic fracturing operations. We will demonstrate the program structure as well as the field applications of FracCSM to the real-time simulation of hydraulic fracturing operations in Sulige tight sandstone reservoir. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluid Dynamics Modeling in Porous Media)

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Open AccessArticle

Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Forced Convection in a Horizontal Tube Partially Filled with a Porous Medium under Local Thermal Equilibrium Conditions

Behzad Siavash Amoli

Seyed Soheil Mousavi Ajarostaghi

Majid Saffar-Avval

Reza Hosseini Abardeh

and

Nevzat Akkurt

Water 2022, 14(23), 3832; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14233832 - 24 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1024

Abstract

The objective of the present work is to analyze experimentally and numerically the laminar forced convection flow in a horizontal pipe partially filled with a porous medium under constant heat flux and to study the influence of the eccentricity of the porous medium on the results. In a numerical analysis, the governing equations are solved in three dimensions. To simplify the grid generation and the satisfaction of the boundary conditions, conformal mapping is applied to convert the cross-section of the tube in the fluid domain (space between two eccentric circles) into a rectangle, and the equations are solved in a computational domain in this domain. The Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer model is applied to simulate the hydrodynamic behavior of the flow in the porous region. Thermal equilibrium between solid and fluid is assumed for the energy equation. A FORTRAN program was developed to solve the equations using the finite volume method and the SIMPLE algorithm. Velocity profile, pressure drop and average Nusselt number are studied in a wide range of Darcy numbers, thickness of porous mediums and eccentricities. The results show that the eccentricity of the porous material reduces the heat transfer coefficient and the pressure drop simultaneously; of course, the reduction in the heat transfer coefficient is less noticeable when the thickness of the porous medium is smaller. For example, at R_P = 0.5, when the eccentricity of the porous medium increases up to E = 0.4, the average Nusselt number decreases by 66%, and this reduction for a smaller porous thickness decreases to 11%. The maximum pressure drop reduction for Da = 10⁻⁵ and E = 0.4 is 25%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fluid Dynamics Modeling in Porous Media)

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