{"title":"Modeling of Relative Permeability Hysteresis Using Limited Experimental Data and Physically Constrained ANN","authors":"Sanchay Mukherjee, Russell T. Johns","doi":"10.1007/s11242-025-02178-0","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>We developed a relative permeability (<i>k</i><sub><i>r</i></sub>) model using an artificial neural network (ANN) that can simultaneously fit one or more drainage and imbibition experimental scans while also predicting relative permeability and residual saturations for other scans. The ANN model uses saturation and phase connectivity and is constrained to giving continuous and physical values for any hysteresis path. The new model can estimate continuous <i>k</i><sub><i>r</i></sub> values even when saturations move outside residual saturation limits owing to vaporization or solubilization. To demonstrate the approach, we fit one measured drainage and imbibition <i>k</i><sub><i>r</i></sub> curve from gas–water experimental data to develop contours of <i>k</i><sub><i>r</i></sub> in saturation-connectivity space. Relative permeability is then predicted as paths, described by simple functions, are traversed. The results show that residual saturations vary automatically as small <i>k</i><sub><i>r</i></sub> values are encountered and increase with increasing initial saturation without the use of Land’s model. The ANN model simultaneously fits all experimental data, unlike current empirical Corey or hysteresis models. Once tuned, the ANN model accurately predicts other measured hysteresis scans not used in tuning.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":804,"journal":{"name":"Transport in Porous Media","volume":"152 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11242-025-02178-0.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Transport in Porous Media","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11242-025-02178-0","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, CHEMICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
We developed a relative permeability (kr) model using an artificial neural network (ANN) that can simultaneously fit one or more drainage and imbibition experimental scans while also predicting relative permeability and residual saturations for other scans. The ANN model uses saturation and phase connectivity and is constrained to giving continuous and physical values for any hysteresis path. The new model can estimate continuous kr values even when saturations move outside residual saturation limits owing to vaporization or solubilization. To demonstrate the approach, we fit one measured drainage and imbibition kr curve from gas–water experimental data to develop contours of kr in saturation-connectivity space. Relative permeability is then predicted as paths, described by simple functions, are traversed. The results show that residual saturations vary automatically as small kr values are encountered and increase with increasing initial saturation without the use of Land’s model. The ANN model simultaneously fits all experimental data, unlike current empirical Corey or hysteresis models. Once tuned, the ANN model accurately predicts other measured hysteresis scans not used in tuning.
期刊介绍:
-Publishes original research on physical, chemical, and biological aspects of transport in porous media-
Papers on porous media research may originate in various areas of physics, chemistry, biology, natural or materials science, and engineering (chemical, civil, agricultural, petroleum, environmental, electrical, and mechanical engineering)-
Emphasizes theory, (numerical) modelling, laboratory work, and non-routine applications-
Publishes work of a fundamental nature, of interest to a wide readership, that provides novel insight into porous media processes-
Expanded in 2007 from 12 to 15 issues per year.
Transport in Porous Media publishes original research on physical and chemical aspects of transport phenomena in rigid and deformable porous media. These phenomena, occurring in single and multiphase flow in porous domains, can be governed by extensive quantities such as mass of a fluid phase, mass of component of a phase, momentum, or energy. Moreover, porous medium deformations can be induced by the transport phenomena, by chemical and electro-chemical activities such as swelling, or by external loading through forces and displacements. These porous media phenomena may be studied by researchers from various areas of physics, chemistry, biology, natural or materials science, and engineering (chemical, civil, agricultural, petroleum, environmental, electrical, and mechanical engineering).