Abstract
When one fluid displaces another by through a porous medium, the fraction of pore space occupied by trapped residual phase correlates with the ratio of viscos to capillary force in the flow. This dependence, heretofore unexplained, is derived from the mechanics of fluid blobs, the nature of pore strecture, and precolation theory. Pore space topology is shown to be as important as geometry in the statistical flow behaviour of large populations of fluid blobs in two-phase flow in porous media. Topology and geometry can each be modelled usefully by a single parameter characteristic of the pore space.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Collins, R. G. Flow of Fluids through Porous Materials 53–55 (Reinhold, New York, 1961).
Melrose, J. C. & Brandner, C. F., Can. J. Petrol. Technol. 13, 54–62 (1974).
Ng, K. M., Davis, H. T. & Scriven, L. E. Chem. Engng Sci. (accepted for publication, 1977).
Leverett, M. C. Petrol. Technol. 1, 1–21 (1938).
Abrams, A. Soc. Petrol. Engr. J. 15, 437–447 (1975).
Moore, T. F. & Slobod, R. L. Produc. M. 20, 20–30 (1956).
Taber, J. J. Soc. Petrol. Engr. J. 9, 3–12 (1969).
Lefebvre du Prey, E. G. Soc. Petrol. Engr. J. 13, 39–47 (1973).
Foster, W. R. Petrol. Technol. 205–210 (1973); McMillen, J. M. & Foster, W. R. (private communication, 1976).
Broadbent, S. R. & Hammersley, J. M. Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc. 53, 629–41 (1957).
Kirkpatrick, S. Rev. Mod. Phys. 45, 574–88 (1973).
Gurland, J. Trans. Metal. Soc. A.I.M.E. 236, 642–46 (1966).
Malliaris, A. & Turner, D. T. J. appl. Phys. 42, 614–618 (1971).
Shante, V. K. S. & Kirkpatrick, S. Adv. Phys. 20, 325–57 (1971).
Fisher, M. E. & Essam, J. W. J. math. Phys. 2, 609–619 (1961).
Larson, R. G. thesis, Univ. Minnesota, Minneapolis (1977).
Larson, R. G., Scriven, L. E. & Davis, H. T. Soc. Petrol. Engr. J. (submitted).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Larson, R., Scriven, L. & Davis, H. Percolation theory of residual phases in porous media. Nature 268, 409–413 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/268409a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/268409a0
This article is cited by
-
Speeding-up Simulation of Multiphase Flow in Digital Images of Heterogeneous Porous Media by Curvelet Transformation
Transport in Porous Media (2021)
-
Modeling Geometric State for Fluids in Porous Media: Evolution of the Euler Characteristic
Transport in Porous Media (2020)
-
Effect of Mean Network Coordination Number on Dispersivity Characteristics
Transport in Porous Media (2012)
-
A New Method for Generating Pore-Network Models of Porous Media
Transport in Porous Media (2010)
-
Book review: Percolation Theory for Flow in Porous Media, by A Hunt (Springer, Berlin, 2005)
Hydrogeology Journal (2009)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
