Effect of Fluid Flow Characteristics on Migration of Nano-Particles in Porous Media

Abstract

Inter-particle and molecular forces are of most important forces\raffecting fines migration. Investigating the impact of these types of forces\rrequires information about electrical properties of constitutive component and\rNano-sized solids. Surface potential is a well-known parameter, which can be\rused to measure aforementioned forces. The force balance among electrical,\rgravity, drag and buoyance forces tracing on a particle can be estimated using\rfluid properties and physical properties of reservoir such as surface\rpotential, pore size distribution and fine size distribution. The task is to\rset these forces at conditions that fine migration does not take place. This\rpaper investigates the impact of several parameters that could influence\rpertinent forces. Effect of ionic strength of flowing fluid is taken into\raccount to evaluate Debye length that determines double layer forces. The\rimpact of injection rate on a parameter named erosion number is also studied. The results of this study show that how introducing salts and\rinjection rate can affect stability of fines on their locations.