Lattice Boltzmann Method in Pore Scale Porous Medium: Application in Three-dimensional Domain

Abstract

Pore scale porous media analysis currently commonly conducted due to availability of deduced pore structure from micro-computed tomography of core rock samples and alternative fluid flow numerical simulation based on Boltzmann transport equation that modeled the micro state particles behavior structurally developed in Lattice Boltzmann Method. This work is conducted to verify the applicability of the fluid flow numerical simulation based on Lattice Boltzmann Method in several three dimensional(3D) samples of pore scale porous media geometry. Besides to verify the method, this work also providing the general algorithm to determine the matrix properties mainly in calculating the single-phase permeability of the samples that easily conducted. The method provided is less expensive compare to the commonly conducted in core analysis during obtaining the rock properties, and also open up possibility to use simple drill cutting during well drilling to be scanned with micro-computed tomography rather than rock sample from coring that very expensive to obtain. Therefore, commonly macroscopic parameters could be determined such as permeability and average velocity of the fluid inside the pore structure due to pressure different. In this respect, the Lattice Boltzmann Method may be considered to replace standard physical macroscopic scale experiments to determine such macroscopic parameters. The result of the macro properties obtained are compared to the pore network model and permeability-porosity correlation.