An Analytical Scaling Method for Spontaneous Imbibition in Gas/Water/Rock Systems

Abstract

Summary A method was developed to scale the experimental data of spontaneous water imbibition (cocurrent) for gas/water/rock systems. In this method, a dimensionless time was defined with the effects of relative permeability, wettability, and gravity included. The definition was not empirical but based on a theoretical derivation. Using this dimensionless time, experimental data from spontaneous water imbibition in different rocks with different size, porosity, permeability, initial water saturation, interfacial tension, and wettability might be scaled. The scaling model proposed in this study for gas/water/rock systems was verified experimentally for different rocks (Berea, chalk, and graywacke from The Geysers) with significantly different properties; it was also verified experimentally at different initial water saturations in the same rock. The scaling results from this study demonstrated that the cocurrent spontaneous water imbibition in gas/water/rock systems could be scaled and predicted.