Flow Imaging in Porous Media Using Neutron Radiography

ABSTRACT A new technique is introduced to visualize flow through consolidated porous media. A neutron based computer tomography system is used to inspect a series of laboratory core flood displacements. Two-dimensional advancement of miscible and immiscible fronts were monitored in real time using radial Berea sandstone cores. The effect of the heterogeneity of the core, miscible viscous fingering and immiscible water flooding in sandstone cores have been observed and are discussed. These experiments reveal that neutron radiography has a great potential to study laboratory scale EOR processes. The coupling between flow instability and heterogeneity has been observed for miscible and immiscible flooding. In addition to flow visualization, this technique can also be used to obtain quantitative information such as in-situ oil saturation distribution.