Experimental and theoretical studies of reactive transport processes in soluble porous rocks

Underground reactive transport processes involve fluid flow and reactions (dissolution, precipitation, and pressure solution) driving the evolution of the rock-fluid systems, which may result in favorable processes such as increased oil production by reservoir acid stimulation, or undesired processes such as caves and subsidence. Flow and reaction in the rock matrix often induce wormholes, which are long, finger-like channels that form due to the dissolution heterogeneity in the matrix. These wormholes become major flow pathways, which greatly increase the permeability of the rock. To study the reactive transport processes and the formation of wormholes, experimental and theoretical studies were conducted. More specifically, a new experimental setup and data analysis methods were introduced to the tube flow tests and core flood tests to experimentally study the evolution of the rock-fluid system. Theoretical studies with analytical and numerical models were used to simulate the experimental results and provide theoretical explanation for the experimental observations. Through the experimental and theoretical studies, this research improved the fundamental understanding of reactive transport processes in rock-fluid systems. This in turn provided accurate prediction of the evolution of the rock-fluid systems driven by the reactive transport processes.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctoral

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Li, Wei,Ph.D.Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Herbert H. Einstein.

• Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/123229

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/123229