Clean Energy Capability Portfolio | Renewable Generation |
Subsurface Fluid Flows and Dynamics
NMR technology is a versatile approach suitable for the characterisation of partially saturated porous media . It allows the analysis of surface-fluid and fluid-fluid interactions over length-scales stretching from atomic to pore / core centimetre lengths . We combine strong experimental capabilities with numerical simulation based on micro-CT images . |
Competitive Advantage • Characterisation of pore-space and transport in natural porous materials , including multi-phase flow
• Advanced studies of dynamic processes – e . g ., capturing kinetics of cement hydration and reactive flow
• Interaction of colloids with solid surfaces – e . g ., wettability reversal
• Characterisation of petroleum fluids using a set of industrial standard practices
• Enhanced interpretation of NMR responses using ‘ Morphy / NMR ’ pore-scale simulator on tomographic images
Impact • Technology commercialised through spin-off company Digital Core , which merged with Numerical Rocks AS to form Lithicon – In 2014 , Lithicon was acquired by FEI for A $ 76 million ( now part of ThermoFisher )
• Morphy installation at several Fortune 500 companies
|
Capabilities and Facilities • MHz Rock Core Analyser , 13 MHz MOUSE set , high-pressure high-temperature flow cell and highprecision continuous pumps – 1H NMR relaxation , diffusion , correlations ( T1-T2 , T2-D ) and exchange ( T2-T2 ) – 1D spin density , T1 and T2 profiles , flow propagators
• 43 MHz Spinsolve diffusion / carbon with temperature control
• Fifth-generation helical micro-CT in custom led-lined room with high-level environmental controls
• Established collaboration with MWAC NMR facility team ( liquid and solid-state NMR spectroscopy and EPR )
Our Collaborators • BP
• FEI
• OMV
• Petrobras
• RWE
|
• Santos |
|||
Successful Applications |
• Total |
||
• Two-phase pore-scale wettability alteration studies in sandstones and carbonates |
• Wintershall |
||
• Cement hydration dynamics for complex cementitious materials |
More Information Professor Christoph Arns
|
||
School of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineering |
|||
T : + 61 2 9385 5658 |
|||
E : c . arns @ unsw . edu . au |
|||
31 |