Quantifying Wettability Alteration Effects on Pore Throat Size Using Geometrical Analysis

Researchers have conducted extensive investigations into how changes in wettability influence fluid flow within porous media. Much of the existing research has concentrated on flooding experiments and computational simulations. While these methods have proven effective in quantifying the impacts of wettability on multiphase flow and the resulting relative permeability, they often fall short of providing deeper analytical insights. Furthermore, many studies are constrained by the inherent limitations of simulation models, such as those based on the Lattice Boltzmann.Our research presents an analytical framework designed to quantify the effects of wettability changes by employing detailed geometrical analysis. Our approach involves examining how the flow path geometry is altered in response to variations in wettability. We focus on identifying key characteristics, including the size and shape of pore throats, which are critical for determining the permeability. Using the discovery, we analytically derive relative permeability curves, which advance the wettability effect on fluid flow behavior. Our method provides new insight into how wettability modifications affect fluid flow, which can be quantified based on its impact on the pore throat size and, hence, the permeability and the relative permeability.