Abstract 672

InterPore2023
Abstract ID : 672
Understanding pre-Darcy flow and

velocity-dependent permeability in porous rocks
through neutron imaging
Content
Darcy’s Law is a classic example of a scientific paradigm in the study of fluid migration through porous media.
However, many authors have reported deviation of flow regimes from Darcy’s law at low flow velocity [1]
when analyzing fluid flow in rocks, often called pre-Darcy flow. In addition to the velocity dependence of
rock permeability, the heterogeneous nature of geomaterials deserves equal attention when analyzing the hy-
draulic behavior of rock masses. When performing conventional permeability tests, little is known regarding
fluid behavior within the sample. In this context, neutron imaging provides an ideal full-field technique for
better understanding these phenomena. This work employs neutron imaging to investigate the influence of
sample heterogeneity and flow rate on flow paths and permeability by performing flow tests with Idaho Gray
sandstone cores.
In-situ experiments were performed at the Neutra instrument at Paul Scherrer Institut (Switzerland) using
the setup described in Vieira Lima et al. [2]. The flow tests were carried out on samples saturated with heavy
water (D2O) or normal water (H2O) by pressure-driven percolation of the respective opposite fluid. Before
the neutron experiments, x-ray tomograms were acquired to provide a reconstructed 3D image with a cubic
voxel width of 13 µm for a detailed characterization of the pore and grain structures. During each test, neu-
tron radiographies were acquired with an exposure time of 1 s, generating 2D images with a 200 µm pixel
size. The difference in neutron attenuation between D2O and H2O was exploited to track the advance of the
infiltration front; as D2O and H2O are otherwise very similar fluids, a near single-phase fluid condition was
assumed. Boundary fluid flow-rate and pressure measurements were recorded and correlated with the images.
The raw neutron images were processed using in-house python codes, generating maps of saturation-time and
-degree plus flow-speed fields. 3D porosity fields and pore network models (using Porespy software [3]) were
generated from the x-ray tomograms. Simulations of the visualized phenomena were performed using the
“Invasion Percolation” and the “Stokes Flow” algorithms from the OpenPNM package [4] based on the 3D
pore networks.
Pre-Darcy flow was observed from the boundary measurments in all samples (Fig.1) with a reduction in the
bulk permeability with the flow rate. The results from the neutron radiography in the form of 2D maps of the
flow-field evolution showed that the percolation followed preferential paths due to the natural heterogeneity
of the samples (Fig.2), which could be correlated with the heterogeneity in the porosity fields (Fig.3). In the
injection of either of the percolating fluids (H2O and D2O), the flow rate increase generated a flattening of the
advancing flow fronts and reduced spatial heterogeneity of the infiltration, indicating that more pores were
accessed at higher injection rates and suggesting threshold rates/pressures exist to access different parts of
the pore network. The simulations of the fluid infiltration using the pore network models reproduced well
the observed flow patterns and showed a good performance in predicting the change in bulk permeability for
each flow rate.
References
[1] Z. Farmani et al. (2019). “Pre-Darcy Flow and Klinkenberg effect in Dense, Consolidated Carbonate For-
mations.”
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering
[2] F. Vieira Lima et al. (2022). “A new triaxial test system for imaging deformation and transport of fluids
using x-rays or neutron tomography.” (In review)
[3] J. Gostick et al., (2019). “PoreSpy: A Python Toolkit for Quantitative Analysis of Porous Media Images.”
Journal of Open Source Software
[4] J. Gostick et al. (2016). “OpenPNM: A Pore Network Modeling Package.” Computing in Science and
Engineering
Participation
In-Person
Country
Sweden
Energy Transition Focused Abstracts
MDPI Energies Student Poster Award

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Primary authors: Ms VIEIRA LIMA, Fernando (Lund University); Dr HALL, Stephen (Lund University); Dr
TUDISCO, Erika (Lund University); Dr ENGQVIST, Jonas (Lund University); Dr WORACEK, Robin (European
Spallation Source); Dr ATHANASOPOULOS, Stefanos (European Spallation Source); Ms VESTIN, Philip (Lund
University); Dr HOVIND, Jan (Paul Scherrer Institute)
Presenter: Ms VIEIRA LIMA, Fernando (Lund University)

Track Classification: MS21 - (MS21) Non-linear effects in flow and transport through porous me-
dia
Contribution Type: Oral Presentation
Submitted by VIEIRA LIMA, Fernando on Monday 02 January 2023

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InterPore2023

Understanding pre-Darcy flow and

Energy Transition Focused Abstracts

MDPI Energies Student Poster Award

Acceptance of the Terms & Conditions

Presenter: Ms VIEIRA LIMA, Fernando (Lund University)

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