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Subcontinuum mass transport of condensed hydrocarbons in nanoporous media

Authors :
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Falk, Kerstin
Coasne, Benoit Alain
Pellenq, Roland Jm
Ulm, Franz-Josef
Bocquet, Lyderic
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Falk, Kerstin
Coasne, Benoit Alain
Pellenq, Roland Jm
Ulm, Franz-Josef
Bocquet, Lyderic
Source :
Nature Publishing Group
Publication Year :
2015

Abstract

Although hydrocarbon production from unconventional reservoirs, the so-called shale gas, has exploded recently, reliable predictions of resource availability and extraction are missing because conventional tools fail to account for their ultra-low permeability and complexity. Here, we use molecular simulation and statistical mechanics to show that continuum description—Darcy’s law—fails to predict transport in shales nanoporous matrix (kerogen). The non-Darcy behaviour arises from strong adsorption in kerogen and the breakdown of hydrodynamics at the nanoscale, which contradict the assumption of viscous flow. Despite this complexity, all permeances collapse on a master curve with an unexpected dependence on alkane length. We rationalize this non-hydrodynamic behaviour using a molecular description capturing the scaling of permeance with alkane length and density. These results, which stress the need for a change of paradigm from classical descriptions to nanofluidic transport, have implications for shale gas but more generally for transport in nanoporous media.<br />France. Investissements d'avenir (ICoME2 Labex ANR-11-LABX-0053)<br />France. Investissements d'avenir (A*MIDEX ANR-11-IDEX-0001-02)<br />Royal Dutch-Shell Group<br />Schlumberger Foundation

Details

Database :
OAIster
Journal :
Nature Publishing Group
Notes :
application/pdf, en_US
Publication Type :
Electronic Resource
Accession number :
edsoai.on1141885382
Document Type :
Electronic Resource