Pore-Scale Simulation of Relative Permeability Hysteresis from a Workflow of Level-Set and Lattice-Boltzmann Methods: The Case of Consolidated Media with Low Pore-to-Throat Aspect Ratio.
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| Title: | Pore-Scale Simulation of Relative Permeability Hysteresis from a Workflow of Level-Set and Lattice-Boltzmann Methods: The Case of Consolidated Media with Low Pore-to-Throat Aspect Ratio. |
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| Authors: | Helland, Johan Olav1 (AUTHOR) jhel@norceresearch.no, Jettestuen, Espen2 (AUTHOR) esje@norceresearch.no, Aursjø, Olav1 (AUTHOR) olau@norceresearch.no |
| Source: | Transport in Porous Media. Jun2026, Vol. 153 Issue 5, p1-39. 39p. |
| Subjects: | Level set methods, Lattice Boltzmann methods, Flow simulations, Porous materials, Porosity, Capillary flow |
| Abstract: | We present a workflow, based on level-set and lattice-Boltzmann methods, for numerical estimation of relative permeability and capillary pressure curves with hysteresis in capillary-dominated flow on segmented 3D rock images. Calculation of relative permeability from rock images has commonly been limited to studies of the bounding hysteresis loop and conventional porous media. Here, we demonstrate the workflow on an almost unexplored case, a consolidated sandstone with low pore-to-throat aspect ratio, and obtain a complex relative permeability hysteresis behavior, consistent with the few studies available for such media. The pore-scale simulations include primary drainage, followed by the main bounding hysteresis loop and scanning curves for secondary drainage and secondary imbibition. We also explore the impact of initial saturation after primary drainage on hysteresis and phase trapping. The relative permeability hysteresis is larger for the non-wetting phase than for the wetting phase, yet the extent of both decreases with increasing initial wetting-phase saturation. For the non-wetting-phase relative permeability, imbibition and drainage curves may cross, while scanning curves cross each other and exhibit a more significant hysteresis than the bounding loop. The role of trapped ganglia makes secondary processes different from primary. The behavior complies with hysteresis in phase connectivity, in which snap-off/coalescence breaks/recovers pathways. The results deviate significantly from the nested hysteresis loops seen for unconsolidated media and show that hysteresis in scanning curves cannot be neglected, indicating that flexible machine learning methods are better suited approaches than standard hysteresis models to implement this complex relative permeability behavior in reservoir simulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Transport in Porous Media is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 192924946 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Pore-Scale Simulation of Relative Permeability Hysteresis from a Workflow of Level-Set and Lattice-Boltzmann Methods: The Case of Consolidated Media with Low Pore-to-Throat Aspect Ratio. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Helland%2C+Johan+Olav%22">Helland, Johan Olav</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> jhel@norceresearch.no</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jettestuen%2C+Espen%22">Jettestuen, Espen</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> esje@norceresearch.no</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Aursjø%2C+Olav%22">Aursjø, Olav</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> olau@norceresearch.no</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Transport+in+Porous+Media%22">Transport in Porous Media</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 153 Issue 5, p1-39. 39p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Level+set+methods%22">Level set methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lattice+Boltzmann+methods%22">Lattice Boltzmann methods</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Flow+simulations%22">Flow simulations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Porous+materials%22">Porous materials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Porosity%22">Porosity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Capillary+flow%22">Capillary flow</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: We present a workflow, based on level-set and lattice-Boltzmann methods, for numerical estimation of relative permeability and capillary pressure curves with hysteresis in capillary-dominated flow on segmented 3D rock images. Calculation of relative permeability from rock images has commonly been limited to studies of the bounding hysteresis loop and conventional porous media. Here, we demonstrate the workflow on an almost unexplored case, a consolidated sandstone with low pore-to-throat aspect ratio, and obtain a complex relative permeability hysteresis behavior, consistent with the few studies available for such media. The pore-scale simulations include primary drainage, followed by the main bounding hysteresis loop and scanning curves for secondary drainage and secondary imbibition. We also explore the impact of initial saturation after primary drainage on hysteresis and phase trapping. The relative permeability hysteresis is larger for the non-wetting phase than for the wetting phase, yet the extent of both decreases with increasing initial wetting-phase saturation. For the non-wetting-phase relative permeability, imbibition and drainage curves may cross, while scanning curves cross each other and exhibit a more significant hysteresis than the bounding loop. The role of trapped ganglia makes secondary processes different from primary. The behavior complies with hysteresis in phase connectivity, in which snap-off/coalescence breaks/recovers pathways. The results deviate significantly from the nested hysteresis loops seen for unconsolidated media and show that hysteresis in scanning curves cannot be neglected, indicating that flexible machine learning methods are better suited approaches than standard hysteresis models to implement this complex relative permeability behavior in reservoir simulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Transport in Porous Media is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s11242-026-02308-2 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 39 StartPage: 1 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Level set methods Type: general – SubjectFull: Lattice Boltzmann methods Type: general – SubjectFull: Flow simulations Type: general – SubjectFull: Porous materials Type: general – SubjectFull: Porosity Type: general – SubjectFull: Capillary flow Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Pore-Scale Simulation of Relative Permeability Hysteresis from a Workflow of Level-Set and Lattice-Boltzmann Methods: The Case of Consolidated Media with Low Pore-to-Throat Aspect Ratio. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Helland, Johan Olav – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jettestuen, Espen – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Aursjø, Olav IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 01693913 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 153 – Type: issue Value: 5 Titles: – TitleFull: Transport in Porous Media Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
