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Interfacial Adsorption Kinetics of Methane in Microporous Kerogen
Runxi Wang1, Saikat Datta2, Jun Li3
1Institute of New Energy and Low-Carbon Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|March 1, 2023
Summary
Understanding methane adsorption in shale is key to boosting unconventional gas production. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal how gas transport and adsorption kinetics in kerogen impact production, providing a new model for better reservoir simulations.
Area of Science:
- Geochemistry
- Petroleum Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Unconventional shale production is hampered by poorly understood gas transport and adsorption in microporous organic rock (kerogen).
- Accurate modeling of methane adsorption kinetics in kerogen is crucial for optimizing shale gas recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate methane gas adsorption kinetics in realistic kerogen samples using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.
- To develop and validate a new model for adsorption kinetics in kerogen.
- To elucidate the interplay between diffusive transport and adsorption capacitance in shale gas reservoirs.
Main Methods:
- High-fidelity molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of methane adsorption in kerogen samples (20-50% porosity).
- Development of a kinetics sorption model based on diffusive transport in nanopores.
- Comparison of MD results with a theoretical model derived from Langmuir isotherm and free-volume theory.
Main Results:
- MD simulations provide the first dataset for methane adsorption kinetics in kerogen.
- The proposed kinetics sorption model accurately fits MD results and scales with kerogen length squared.
- Diffusive transport dominates adsorption time scales at low porosity, while adsorption capacitance is significant at higher pressures.
Conclusions:
- A validated model for methane adsorption kinetics in kerogen has been established.
- The study links adsorption capacitance and transport phenomena to adsorption kinetics.
- Findings facilitate upscaling interfacial adsorption processes for enhanced shale gas transport simulations.
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