SPE-135429-MS-P.pdfVIP

SPE 135429 Optimum Operating Conditions for Steady-State Two-Phase Flow in Pore Networks: Conceptual Justification Based on Statistical Thermodynamics Marios S. Valavanides, TEI Athens Copyright 2010, Society of Petroleum Engineers This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Florence, Italy, 19–22 September 2010. This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright. Abstract The mechanistic model DeProF considers steady-state two-phase flow in porous media as a composition of three flow patterns: connected-oil pathway, ganglion dynamics and drop traffic flow. Their key difference is the degree of disconnection of the non-wetting phase which affects the relative magnitude of the rate of energy dissipation caused by capillary effects compared to that caused by viscous stresses. An appropriate mesoscopic scale analysis defines the process independent variables to be the capillary number, Ca, and the oil-water flowrate ratio, r, and leads to the determination of all the internal flow arrangements that are compatible with the externally imposed f