Open Access

ARTICLE

Numerical Simulation of Gas-Water Two-Phase Flow in a Proppant-Filled Layer

Jian Yang¹, Xinghao Gou¹, Jiayi Sun², Fei Liu¹, Xiaojin Zhou¹, Xu Liu¹, Tao Zhang^2,*

1 Southwest Oil and Gas Field Branch of China National Petroleum Corporation, Chengdu, 610017, China
2 School of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China

* Corresponding Author: Tao Zhang. Email:

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2025, 21(8), 1935-1954. https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2025.066730

Received 16 April 2025; Accepted 03 July 2025; Issue published 12 September 2025

Abstract

Shale gas production involves complex gas-water two-phase flow, with flow patterns in proppant-filled fractures playing a critical role in determining production efficiency. In this study, 3D geometric models of 40/70 mesh ceramic particles and quartz sand proppant clusters were elaborated using computed tomography (CT) scanning. These models were used to develop a numerical simulation framework based on the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), enabling the investigation of gas-water flow behavior within proppant-filled fractures under varying driving forces and surface tensions. Simulation results at a closure pressure of 15 MPa have revealed that ceramic particles exhibit a simpler and more porous internal structure than quartz sand of the same size. Under identical flow conditions, ceramic proppants demonstrate higher fluid replacement efficiency. Replacement efficiency increases with higher porosity, greater driving force, and lower surface tension. Furthermore, fluid displacement is strongly influenced by pore geometry: flow is faster in straighter and wider channels, with preferential movement through larger pores forming dominant flow paths. The replacement velocity exhibits a characteristic time evolution, initially rapid, then gradually decreasing, correlating positively with the development of these dominant channels.

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Keywords

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