Viscous and capillary pressures during drainage: Network simulations and experiments

Abstract

The displacement of a wetting fluid by a nonwetting fluid in a porous medium, i.e., drainage, was studied by means of experiments and simulations. A network model was formulated, capable of describing the fluid saturation of the porous medium and the pressure during the displacement. The results of experiments with several micro flow models are reported, using two fluid systems and varying displacement rates. These measurements allow interpretation in terms of the contributions of the capillary and viscous pressures. The results of the simulations are in agreement with the experiments, with the exception of one case at a high displacement rate and characterized by a high viscosity ratio.