Memory effect on gas percolation in saturated porous media

Area of Science:

• Geosciences
• Physics
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Gas migration in porous media is crucial for subsurface applications.
• Previous models often overlook the influence of prior gas pathways on subsequent movement.
• Understanding invasion morphology impacts reservoir engineering and carbon sequestration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate gas pathway dynamics in water-saturated porous media.
• To incorporate the memory effect of prior pathways into gas migration simulations.
• To quantify the impact of this memory effect on the final invasion zone morphology.

Main Methods:

• Modeling gas migration using a Gaussian distribution of capillary overpressure.
• Superimposing pressure gradients induced by gravity.
• Developing a simulation that accounts for the system's memory of prior pathways.

Main Results:

• The memory effect significantly alters the invasion zone morphology.
• Gas migration transitions from diffusive-like to meandering based on memory influence.
• The probability of revisiting sites follows a logistic function, indicating path dependence.

Conclusions:

• The system's memory is a critical factor in gas migration and invasion morphology.
• The findings provide a more realistic model for gas transport in porous media.
• This research has implications for optimizing subsurface fluid flow management.