A network model for the biofilm growth in porous media and its effects on permeability and porosity

Abstract

Successful microbial enhanced oil recovery depends on several factors like reservoir characteristics and microbial activity. In this work, a pore network is used to study the hydrodynamic evolution over time as a result of the development of a biofilm in the pores. A new microscopic model is proposed for biofilm growth which takes into account that nutrients might not fully penetrate the biofilm. An important novelty in this model is that acknowledges the continuous spreading of the biofilm over the network. The results from the current study can be used to obtain a new relation between the porosity and permeability which might be used as an alternative to the Kozeny Carman relation.