Events :: Graduate Seminars :: Visualization of fluid transport in fractured rocks using X-ray Computed Tomography by Dr. Zuleima Karpyn, Pennsylvania State University

Forced mobilization and spontaneous migration of fluids in underground formations are severely impacted by the presence of fractures, which vastly dominate the overall conductivity of rocks. Uncertainties in the description of transport properties in these systems often make flow predictions a difficult task. Understanding the origin of such transport properties and their dependence on local heterogeneities and other geological features is essential for the design of effective recovery strategies. High-resolution X-ray computed tomography allows us to explore these heterogeneities and their impact on fluid transport with realistic detail. This presentation shows a series of experimental findings of two-phase flow in fractured cores, with the aid of micro-scale visualization of fluids, fracture, and rock matrix.