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Computer Modeling of Fluid Seepage in Porous Media with Ultra-low Permeabilities

Submission Deadline: 01 November 2025 (closed) View: 23955 Submit to Journal

Guest Editors

Prof. Boyun Guo, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, USA
A/Prof. Yin Feng, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, USA


Summary

Porous media with ultra-low permeabilities are tight materials such as tight-sand stones, shales, cements, and cracks in these materials. Fluid seepage in such materials causes long-term fluid leaks that are difficulty to seal. Flow-testing of poro-parameters of such materials is incredibly challenging due to its time-consuming nature. It is highly desirable to be able to simulate fluid flow behavior in these materials with modern computing technologies. The computer modeling can have wide applications including evaluation of long-term fluid leaks through cap rocks and well cement sheaths of underground CO2 and hydrogen storages. This special issue of the CMES reports the most recent advances in this research area.


Topics within the scope of interests include, but not limited to, the following aspects:


- Multiphase flow in tight sands

- Multiphase flow in shales

- CO2 seepage in cap rocks

- CO2 leakage through well cement

- Hydrogen seepage in cap rocks

- Hydrogen leakage through well cement

- Challenges in computer modeling of pressure-promoted imbibition processes

- Numerical simulation of crack-flow in shales


Keywords

Porous media, ultra-low permeability, fluid seepage, computer model, simulation

Published Papers


  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Numerical Study of Fluid Loss Impact on Long-Term Performance of Enhanced Geothermal Systems under Varying Operational Parameters

    Yongwei Li, Kaituo Jiao, Dongxu Han, Bo Yu, Xiaoze Du
    CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2025.073239
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Computer Modeling of Fluid Seepage in Porous Media with Ultra-low Permeabilities)
    Abstract The permeability contrast between the Hot Dry Rock (HDR) reservoir and the surrounding formations is a key factor governing fluid loss in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS). This study thus aims to investigate its impact on system performance under varying operating conditions, and a three-dimensional thermo–hydro–mechanical (THM) coupled EGS model is developed based on the geological parameters of the GR1 well in the Qiabuqia region. The coupled processes of fluid flow, heat transfer, and geomechanics within the reservoir under varying reservoir–surrounding rock permeability contrasts, as well as the flow and heat exchange along the wellbores from… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Analytical Modeling and Comparative Analysis of Capillary Imbibition in Shale Pores of Various Geometries

    Jin Xue, Boyun Guo
    CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.144, No.3, pp. 3307-3328, 2025, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2025.069909
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Computer Modeling of Fluid Seepage in Porous Media with Ultra-low Permeabilities)
    Abstract Fluid imbibition from hydraulic fractures into shale formations is mainly affected by a combination of capillary forces and viscous resistance, both of which are closely related to the pore geometry. This study established five self-imbibition models with idealized pore structures and conducted a comparative analysis of these models. These models include circular, square, and equilateral triangular capillaries; a triangular star-shaped cross-section formed by three tangent spherical particles; and a traditional porous medium representation method. All these models are derived based on Newton’s second law, where capillary pressure is described by the Young-Laplace equation and viscous… More >

  • Open Access

    ARTICLE

    Imbibition Front and Phase Distribution in Shale Based on Lattice Boltzmann Method

    Li Lu, Yadong Huang, Kuo Liu, Xuhui Zhang, Xiaobing Lu
    CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.142, No.2, pp. 2173-2190, 2025, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2025.059045
    (This article belongs to the Special Issue: Computer Modeling of Fluid Seepage in Porous Media with Ultra-low Permeabilities)
    Abstract To study the development of imbibition such as the imbibition front and phase distribution in shale, the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) is used to study the imbibition processes in the pore-throat network of shale. Through dimensional analysis, four dimensionless parameters affecting the imbibition process were determined. A color gradient model of LBM was used in computation based on a real core pore size distribution. The numerical results show that the four factors have great effects on imbibition. The impact of each factor is not monotonous. The imbibition process is the comprehensive effect of all aspects. More >

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