RESEARCH TOPIC


Tarek Hamida

"Effect of Ultrasonic Waves on Multiphase Flow in Porous Media"


Tarek's research focuses on the effects of high frequency sound waves on multiphase in porous media and oil recovery. His work can be divided into two parts: (1) Static (capillary) imbibition experiments, and (2) Dynamic (injection) experiments.

A series of capillary imbibition experiments under ultrasound were conducted on sandstone plugs using a focused ultrasonic beam. The aim is to identify the governing mechanisms and clarify the relative effects of them on ultimate recovery and production rate. Capillary imbibition is a very gentle process that is primarily dominated by interfacial tension, wettability and fluid density. The absence of viscous forces makes it a suitable experiment for highlighting the effect of ultrasound on interfacial forces. During the process, the wetting fluid percolates along the pore walls, and invades the smallest pores. As a consequence, the non-wetting phase is forced into adjacent pores. Ultrasonic energy enhances the capillary imbibition recovery of oil for different fluid pairs. The air-water experiments showed less amount of water-imbibed water when ultrasound is applied. Trapped bubble oscillation and acoustic dispersion were considered possible reasons for this.


LEFT: Imbibition cell used in the experiment and RIGHT: Experiments conducted with (inside the bath) and without ultrasonic effect.




LEFT: Ultrasonic generator and horns, and RIGHT: Hele-Shaw experiments inside the ultrasonic bath.


The ultrasonic energy is expected to change rock and liquid properties as well as liquid-liquid, liquid-rock, and gas-liquid interactions. This will eventually cause an improvement in the oil flow yielding faster and higher oil recovery. To clarify the alterations in the interfacial forces under ultrasonic waves, Hele-Shaw experiments were conducted. Some snapshots are shown below.

LEFT: Viscous fingering during mineral oil displacement by pentane with (US) and without ultrasonic energy (NUS), and RIGHT: Viscous fingering during mineral oil displacement by water with (US) and without ultrasonic energy (NUS)



RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS

  1. Babadagli, T., Hatiboglu, C. U. and Hamida, T.: “Evaluation of Matrix-Fracture Transfer Functions for Counter-Current Capillary Imbibition,” Transport in Porous Media, in print, 2009.

  2. Hamida, T. and Babadagli, T.: “Fluid-Fluid Interaction during Miscible and Immiscible Displacement under Ultrasonic Waves,” European Phy. Jour. B, vol. 60, no. 4, 447-462, 2008.

  3. Hamida, T. and Babadagli, T.: “Immiscible Displacement of Oil by Water in Consolidated Porous Media due to Capillary Imbibition under Ultrasonic Waves,” J. of the Acoustical Soc. of America, vol. 122 (3) Sept. 2007, 1539-1555.

  4. Hamida, T. and Babadagli, T.: “Analysis of Capillary Interaction and Oil Recovery under Ultrasonic Waves,” Transport in Porous Media, 70 (2), 2007, 231-255.

  5. Hamida, T. and Babadagli, T.: "Displacement of Oil by Different Interfacial Tension Fluids under Ultrasonic Waves," Coll. and Surf. A: Physicochemical and Eng. Aspect, vol. 316, 176-189, March, 2008.

  6. Hamida, T. and Babadagli, T.: “Effects of Ultrasonic Waves on the Interfacial Forces between Oil and Water,” Ultrasonics Sonochemistry (as a Short Communication) (in print) 2007.

  7. Hamida, T. and Babadagli, T.: “Investigations on Capillary and Viscous Displacement under Ultrasonic Waves,” Technical Note, J. of Canadian Pet. Tech., Feb. 2006, 16-19.

  8. Hamida, T. and Babadagli, T.: "Effects of Ultrasonic Waves on Immiscible and Miscible Displacement in Porous Media," SPE 95327, 2005 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exh., Dallas, TX, 9-12 Oct., 2005.

  9. Hamida, T. and Babadagli, T.: “Investigations on the Capillary Interaction of Different Oleic and Aqueous Phases between Matrix and Fracture Under Ultrasonic Waves,” SPE 94105, SPE EUROPEC / EAGE Annual Conf., 13-16 Jun 2005, Madrid, Spain.

  10. Hamida, T. and Babadagli, T.: “Effect of Ultrasonic Waves on the Capillary Imbibition Recovery of Oil,” SPE 92124, SPE Asia Pacific Oil & Gas Conf. and Exh., 12 - 14 April 2005, Jakarta, Indonesia.

  11. Hamida, T. and Babadagli, T.: “Investigations on Capillary and Viscous Displacement under Ultrasonic Waves,” Paper No. 2005-132, CIM 56th Annual Technical Meeting, Canadian International Petroleum Conference, Calgary, Canada, 7-9 June 2005 (extended abstract).

  12. Babadagli, T., Hatiboglu, C. U. and Hamida, T.: “Evaluation of Matrix-Fracture Transfer Functions for Counter-Current Capillary Imbibition,” SPE 92111, SPE Asia Pacific Oil & Gas Conf. and Exh., 12 - 14 April 2005, Jakarta, Indonesia.

  13. Babadagli, T. and Hamida, T.: “Multiphase Flow in Porous Media Under Ultrasonic Waves,” The Stanford-Herriot-Watt Reservoir Description and Modeling Forum, Tiburon, CA, USA, Aug. 28-Sept. 2, 2005.