Numerical study of forced imbibition phenomenon in fluid flow through a water-wet porous media

Abstract

This paper presents a mathematical model to study forced imbibition and examine the correlation between spontaneous and forced imbibition in a water-wet heterogeneous porous media. An explicit approximate analytical method with its convergence analysis is proposed here to obtain an analytic expression for the saturation profile of the wetting phase along with its case study to discuss the potential effects and reliability of the viscosity ratio, wettability state of the medium, capillary pressure and relative permeability of the phases on forced imbibition phenomenon. Finally, the simulation results investigate the impact of all parameters on the hydrocarbon reservoir’s saturation rate and recovery rate during the forced imbibition process.