Mapping fluid flow properties in 3D porous rocks
Mapping fluid flow properties in 3D porous rocks lead image
Understanding how fluids move through complex porous rocks in three dimensions remains a challenge, especially when considering permeability, porosity and tortuosity. Traditional lab testing is often slow, costly, and may damage rock samples, while 2D analyses can miss critical spatial details.
Nurcahya and Dharmawan examined fluid flow properties in 3D porous rocks. Using sandstone samples and combining the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) and image-based correlation techniques, they were able to estimate a variety of parameters for the fluid flow behaviors of such porous rocks.
“Our study offers a powerful digital workflow that can help researchers and engineers assess rock properties more efficiently and non-destructively,” said author Irwan Ary Dharmawan. “It can be especially useful in fields like petroleum engineering, hydrology, and carbon storage, where understanding subsurface fluid movement is essential.”
The digital rock images from the sandstone samples were preprocessed to isolate pore networks and simulate fluid flow under slow flow conditions.
While both the LBM simulations and the alternative Kozeny-Carman model yielded consistent permeability esimates, the LBM provided deeper insight into flow behavior within complex pore networks.
The researchers found that effective porosity and tortuosity exhibit strong correlations with permeability, with the permeability distribution following a trend influenced by the intricate geometry of pore networks.
“Our next step is to explore more advanced models like the Discrete Boltzmann Method, which is better suited for capturing non-equilibrium behaviors in very fine pores, such as those found in nanoporous media,” said Dharmawan. “We’re also planning to apply this integrated simulation and image analysis framework to carbonate rocks, which present more complex pore geometries due to their heterogeneous textures and diagenetic history.”
Source: “Enhanced understanding of fluid flow and effective properties in three-dimensional porous rock using lattice Boltzmann simulation and image-based correlation studies,” by Ardian Nurcahya and Irwan Ary Dharmawan, Physics of Fluids (2025). The article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0268487 .
