Multiscale Fluid-Solid Interaction in Deformable Porous Media
General Material Designation
[Thesis]
First Statement of Responsibility
Fagbemi, Samuel A.
Subsequent Statement of Responsibility
Tahmasebi, Pejman
.PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC
Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.
University of Wyoming
Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.
2020
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item
191
DISSERTATION (THESIS) NOTE
Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree
Ph.D.
Body granting the degree
University of Wyoming
Text preceding or following the note
2020
SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
The study of the interaction between rocks and residing fluids is an important field of research in hydrology, geomechanics, and energy resources. Geomechanical systems undergo deformation due to gravitational loading and plate tectonic activities. Deformation could also occur due to changes in pore pressure resulting from fluid injection and production. Such natural and human-controlled events tend to alter the hydro-mechanical equilibrium depending on the morphology, stress history, and fluids present. The in-situ characterization and description of such complex interactions is hence a non-trivial task demanding the interlinking of different physical phenomena. In this dissertation, therefore, we present a fluid-solid interaction (FSI) problem for a porous medium which undergoes finite deformation at the pore-scale. The upscaled response for such a system is consistent with the non-linear Biot theory. We then apply the FSI model for examining the role of microstructure and effective stress in permeability alteration. Furthermore, we introduce a framework for studying the interaction between multiphase flow and solids coupled with adhesion effects where the role of surface tension forces in deformation is investigated. The results indicate the deformation for Berea sandstone saturated with a two-phase fluid is minuscule and depends primarily on the elastocapillary length of the medium. Furthermore, uniaxial and triaxial stresses were applied normal to the surface of the solid skeleton during drainage and imbibition events, and for all cases, a reduction in relative permeability of oil was observed, implying stress conditions did not produce a positive shift in the relative permeability of oil.