PORE LEVEL IMAGING OF FLUID TRANSPORT USING SYNCHROTRON X-RAY MICROTOMOGRAPHY

Recently developed high resolution computed microtomography (CMT) usin g synchrotron X-ray sources is analogous to conventional medical CT sc anning and provides the ability to obtain three-dimensional images of specimens with a spatial resolution on the order of micrometers. Appli cation of this technique to the study of core samples has previously b een shown to provide excellent two-and three-dimensional high resoluti on descriptions of pore structure and mineral distributions of core ma terial. Recently, computed microtomographic endpoint saturation images of a fluid filled sandstone core sample were obtained using a microto mographic apparatus and a high energy X-ray beam produced by a superco nducting wiggler at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhave n National Laboratory. Image of a 6 mm subsection of the one inch diam eter core sample were obtained prior and subsequent to flooding to res idual oil. Both oil and brine phases were observable within the imaged rock matrix. The rock matrix image data was used as input to a fluid transport simulator and the results compared with the end point satura tion images and data. These high resolution images of the fluid filled pore space have not been previously available to researchers and will provide valuable insight to fluid flow, and provide data as input int o and validation of high resolution porous media flow simulators, such as percolation-network and lattice Boltzmann models. (C) 1998 Elsevie r Science B.V.