Dynamic Imaging of Multiphase Flows in Rock Using Computed Tomography

Understanding the mechanisms for multiphase flow within the subsurface is critical to the planning and execution of a multitude of energy related projects including, enhanced oil recovery, geologic carbon sequestration, geothermal energy extraction, and gas production from tight shale reservoirs. This paper provides a brief review of the use of X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning to visualize multiphase flows within geologically relevant rock cores, and then provides recent examples of multiphase flow at the National Energy Technology Laboratory. With modern CT scanning techniques we show how it is possible to visualize dynamic flooding of cores with fluids, as well as calculate changes in the saturation within the porous matrix from image analysis of the scans.