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Transport Simulations on Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope Images of Nanoporous Shale

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Frouté

    (Department of Energy Resources Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA)

  • Yuhang Wang

    (Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA)

  • Jesse McKinzie

    (Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA)

  • Saman A. Aryana

    (Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA)

  • Anthony R. Kovscek

    (Department of Energy Resources Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA)

Abstract

Digital rock physics is an often-mentioned approach to better understand and model transport processes occurring in tight nanoporous media including the organic and inorganic matrix of shale. Workflows integrating nanometer-scale image data and pore-scale simulations are relatively undeveloped, however. In this paper, a workflow is demonstrated progressing from sample acquisition and preparation, to image acquisition by Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) tomography, to volumetric reconstruction to pore-space discretization to numerical simulation of pore-scale transport. Key aspects of the workflow include (i) STEM tomography in high angle annular dark field (HAADF) mode to image three-dimensional pore networks in µm-sized samples with nanometer resolution and (ii) lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) simulations to describe gas flow in slip, transitional, and Knudsen diffusion regimes. It is shown that STEM tomography with nanoscale resolution yields excellent representation of the size and connectivity of organic nanopore networks. In turn, pore-scale simulation on such networks contributes to understanding of transport and storage properties of nanoporous shale. Interestingly, flow occurs primarily along pore networks with pore dimensions on the order of tens of nanometers. Smaller pores do not form percolating pathways in the sample volume imaged. Apparent gas permeability in the range of 10 −19 to 10 −16 m 2 is computed.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Frouté & Yuhang Wang & Jesse McKinzie & Saman A. Aryana & Anthony R. Kovscek, 2020. "Transport Simulations on Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope Images of Nanoporous Shale," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:24:p:6665-:d:463694
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Latt, Jonas & Chopard, Bastien, 2006. "Lattice Boltzmann method with regularized pre-collision distribution functions," Mathematics and Computers in Simulation (MATCOM), Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 165-168.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jiangxu Huang & Kun He & Lei Wang, 2021. "Pore-Scale Investigation on Natural Convection Melting in a Square Cavity with Gradient Porous Media," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-19, July.

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