Article
Energy & Fuels
Yuejian Lu, Dameng Liu, Yidong Cai, Qian Li, Yingfang Zhou
Summary: Capillary forces play a crucial role in the gas/fluid behavior and fluid distribution in porous media, particularly in evaluating the pore-fracture characteristics of coal. Different stages of spontaneous imbibition process can reveal the fluid flow characteristics, while a low flow-back rate of fracturing fluid may lead to severe permeability damage in coal. The gas relative permeability of coal attenuates exponentially with imbibition time, showing the influence of capillary force based on fractal theory.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Conghui Zhao, Dong Wu, Fengbo Hu, Meng Sun, Tao Li, Hu Wang
Summary: The study focuses on the quantitative description of shale microfractures, which can provide a quantitative basis for shale fracture characterization and shale physical properties. By using imaging technologies and microscopy, microfracture information was extracted and parameters such as length and aperture were calculated. It was observed that bedding fractures have limited contribution to shale porosity, but shale reservoirs with high porosity have more bedding fractures and better permeability.
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Jianhong Zhu, Junbin Chen, Xiaoliang Duanmu, Xiaoming Wang, Diguang Gong, Xiangrong Nie
Summary: Based on HPMI experiments and NMR analyses, this study quantitatively evaluated the pore-size distribution of a shale oil reservoir in Ordos Basin. The results showed strong heterogeneity and micro-nano characteristics, with micropores and mesopores accounting for over 90% of the volume. The imbibition water content was highest in micropores, followed by mesopores, while macropores had the lowest content.
FRACTAL AND FRACTIONAL
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Guifu Duan, Jianye Mou, Yushi Zou, Budong Gao, Lin Yang, Yufei He
Summary: Under simulated reservoir conditions, shale hydration increases over time and is positively correlated with breakdown pressure, number of fractures, and complexity. Imbibition pressure has little influence, while closure of microfractures under confining pressure is the main reason for the increase in breakdown pressure.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Lanlan Yao, Zhengming Yang, Haibo Li, Bo Cai, Chunming He, Debin Xia
Summary: Imbibition is an important method of oil recovery in shale oil reservoirs, and the impact of energy enhancement on imbibition is not extensively studied. Pressurized imbibition can increase the recovery ratio of fractured shale, while spontaneous imbibition can improve the ultimate recovery ratio of matrix shale.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jiangfeng Cui, Guangyao Si
Summary: The study utilizes the finite difference method to conduct numerical simulation of micro-fractures in shale rocks, characterizing their impact through the concept of normalized equivalent permeability. It comprehensively investigates the effects of horizontal bedding fractures and vertical structural fractures on the anisotropic permeability of shale, providing valuable insights for enhancing oil/gas recovery in shale reservoirs.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
Takeshi Kurotori, Manju Pharkavi Murugesu, Christopher Zahasky, Bolivia Vega, Jennifer L. Druhan, Sally M. Benson, Anthony R. Kovscek
Summary: This study used micro-and clinical X-ray CT imaging to directly probe the spatiotemporal evolution of imbibition in a natural, multiscale shale sample, revealing the complexity of imbibition behavior and the significant impact of microcracks on the imbibition fronts. This highlights the importance of appropriately accounting for microcracks in the development of accurate predictive theoretical models.
ADVANCES IN WATER RESOURCES
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zhonghua Liu, Baojun Bai, Yanling Wang, Hai Qu, Qianhua Xiao, Shunpeng Zeng
Summary: The study found that during the spontaneous imbibition process of slickwater in shale gas fields, the imbibition capacities of its components differ, and the imbibition mainly occurs through secondary microfractures.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhihong Zhao, Yanyan He, Jianchun Guo, Xiaoqiang Zheng, Liang Tao, Xianan Deng
Summary: In this study, experimental apparatus and methods were developed to analyze the laws of forced imbibition of water in a shale reservoir and characterize the initiation time of microfractures induced by shale hydration. The imbibition depths of different pore types were quantitatively calculated. The results showed that shale forcible imbibition can be divided into three periods and the imbibition diffusion period is the main period for imbibition capacity rise.
Review
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
D. P. Clark, C. T. Badea
Summary: This study reviews recent advancements in micro-CT technology for preclinical research, including new hardware features and various imaging applications such as dual-energy micro-CT and X-ray phase contrast imaging. Additionally, it discusses the integration of deep learning with micro-CT data for enhanced analysis and understanding.
PHYSICA MEDICA-EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yilei Song, Zhaojie Song, Haiwei Zeng, Chunlei Tai, Xuya Chang
Summary: This study compared the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) performance of N-2 and CO2 Huff-n-puff methods at the pore level using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology. The results showed that both N-2 and CO2 Huff-n-puff methods improved tight oil recovery, with CO2 Huff-n-puff exhibiting better performance. The NMR transverse relaxation time (T-2) spectrum indicated that CO2 Huff-n-puff was more effective in enhancing oil recovery in large pores compared to N-2 Huff-n-puff. However, the conclusion should be further validated due to the potential error of NMR technology in measuring oil recovery in specific pores.
Article
Thermodynamics
Xudong Huang, Zhiqin Kang, Jing Zhao, Guoying Wang, Hongge Zhang, Dong Yang
Summary: The study examined the relationship between temperature field distribution and fracture connectivity in oil shale heated by water vapor. Using infrared thermal imaging and high temperature triaxial permeability testing, it was found that fractures became the main flow channels when the shale was heated, and the connectivity of fractures affected the heating area. The permeability of oil shale decreased from 10-15 m2 at 25°C to 10-17 m2 at 350°C, but increased rapidly above 350°C, indicating that temperature has a significant impact on shale permeability.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Fengyuan Zhang, Hamid Emami-Meybodi
Summary: This study presents a new semi-analytical method to estimate hydraulic fracture attributes for shale gas wells exhibiting two-phase flow, considering various transport mechanisms and factors like gas desorption, diffusion, and slip flow. The accuracy of the proposed method is validated against numerical results obtained from commercial software, confirming its ability to closely estimate initial fracture properties. The analysis of flowback data from a multi-fractured horizontal well demonstrates consistency between the proposed method and long-term production data analysis.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wang Fei, Ruan Yingqi, Chen Qiaoyun, Zhang Shicheng
Summary: This study proposed a shut-in pressure drop model coupling wellbore-fracture network-reservoir oil-water two-phase flow, which was able to reflect the oil-water displacement law and divide the pressure drop process into eight main control flow stages. By fitting the pressure drop data from five wells, important fracture network parameters were inversely obtained, providing a theoretical basis for evaluating the fracturing effect of shale oil horizontal wells and understanding the oil-water exchange law of shale reservoir after fracturing.
PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jie Zhao, Yizhong Zhang, Maolin Zhang, Zheng Mao, Chenchen Wang, Rongrong Hu, Long Yang, Yong Liu
Summary: This study analyzed the pore structure of inter-salt shale reservoirs qualitatively and quantitatively, revealing that the pore structure is complex and multi-scale with suitable fractal characteristics. The main pore types are intergranular pores, interparticle pores, and dissolved pores, with the main minerals being dolomite, calcite, and glauberite. The research provides a basis for further understanding the seepage characteristics and exploration and development of shale oil.
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chuntian Cao, Michael F. Toney, Tsun-Kong Sham, Ross Harder, Paul R. Shearing, Xianghui Xiao, Jiajun Wang
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
S. Mohammad H. Hojjatzadeh, Niranjan D. Parab, Wentao Yan, Qilin Guo, Lianghua Xiong, Cang Zhao, Minglei Qu, Luis I. Escano, Xianghui Xiao, Kamel Fezzaa, Wes Everhart, Tao Sun, Lianyi Chen
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2019)
Article
Physics, Applied
Yang Yang, Zhengrui Xu, James D. Steiner, Yijin Liu, Feng Lin, Xianghui Xiao
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fang Zhang, Shuaifeng Lou, Shuang Li, Zhenjiang Yu, Qingsong Liu, Alvin Dai, Chuntian Cao, Michael F. Toney, Mingyuan Ge, Xianghui Xiao, Wah-Keat Lee, Yudong Yao, Junjing Deng, Tongchao Liu, Yiping Tang, Geping Yin, Jun Lu, Dong Su, Jiajun Wang
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2020)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Stephanie Spence, Wah-Keat Lee, Feng Lin, Xianghui Xiao
Summary: TXM, a powerful tool in battery research, offers morphological and chemical structural information inside of battery component materials at tens of nanometer scale. This article presents a short review of TXM, including its instrumentation, battery research applications, and practical sample preparation and data analysis. The article also briefly discusses the challenges and opportunities in TXM applications.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Sheng Peng
Summary: This study investigated gas flow and the Klinkenberg effect in nanoporous rocks, revealing important insights such as the impact of pore pressure and water saturation on gas permeability and diffusivity, as well as the inadequacy of the Klinkenberg equation for determining intrinsic permeability. The study also proposed a modified equation for a more reliable determination of the Klinkenberg slippage factor and identified the importance of gas diffusivity in characterizing gas flow in nanoporous rocks. Additionally, a new form of porosity-permeability relationship was derived, showing good correlation with the Klinkenberg slippage factor and offering advancements in understanding gas flow in nanoporous rocks with potential industrial implications.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Guang Yang, Halil Tetik, Johanna Nelson Weker, Xianghui Xiao, Shuting Lei, Dong Lin
Summary: Three dimensional freeze printing (3DFP) is a method that combines freeze casting and additive manufacturing to fabricate multifunctional aerogels. This study demonstrates the design and construction of in situ imaging systems to observe freeze casting and 3DFP processes, providing valuable information on ice crystal growth, freeze front movement, and material deposition.
REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Insung Han, Kelly L. Wang, Andrew T. Cadotte, Zhucong Xi, Hadi Parsamehr, Xianghui Xiao, Sharon C. Glotzer, Ashwin J. Shahani
Summary: Quasicrystals exhibit long-range order without periodicity. The authors reported an approach for quasicrystal fabrication and showed through in situ imaging and corresponding simulations the formation of a single decagonal quasicrystal arising from coalescence of multiple quasicrystals in a liquid. This joint experimental-computational discovery paves the way toward fabrication of single, large-scale quasicrystals for novel applications.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tongchao Liu, Lei Yu, Jun Lu, Tao Zhou, Xiaojing Huang, Zhonghou Cai, Alvin Dai, Jihyeon Gim, Yang Ren, Xianghui Xiao, Martin Holt, Yong S. Chu, Ilke Arslan, Jianguo Wen, Khalil Amine
Summary: The study found that using concentration gradient design can successfully alleviate particle cracking issues in Ni-rich cathode materials without sacrificing electrode capacity. By investigating the effects of Co and Mn on the mechanical properties of Ni-rich materials, it is found that Co-enriched surface design helps suppress particle cracking formation, while Mn-enriched core limits internal expansion and improves structural integrity. The concentration gradient design also promotes morphological stability and cycling performances in Li metal coin cell configuration.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Xianghui Xiao, Zhengrui Xu, Feng Lin, Wah-Keat Lee
Summary: A transmission X-ray microscope (TXM) is capable of investigating the morphological and chemical information of a sample, with applications in material sciences and battery research. A workflow software has been developed to integrate all the necessary tools for general TXM data processing and visualization, with a user-friendly interface in Jupyter Notebook.
JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Sheng Peng, Jacob LaManna, Priyanka Periwal, Pavel Shevchenko
Summary: This paper applies a multiscale imaging technique to investigate the depth and rate of water imbibition in shale samples and the causes of imbibition heterogeneity. By using neutron radiography, micro-CT, and SEM, the dynamic process of water imbibition and the distinction of imbibition in matrix and microfractures are demonstrated. The causes of imbibition heterogeneity are further investigated through image analysis, and the depth and rate of imbibition are calculated. This innovative technique provides a comprehensive understanding of water imbibition and water-oil displacement in shale.
SPE RESERVOIR EVALUATION & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dong Hou, Zhengrui Xu, Zhijie Yang, Chunguang Kuai, Zhijia Du, Cheng-Jun Sun, Yang Ren, Jue Liu, Xianghui Xiao, Feng Lin
Summary: The authors conducted in situ physicochemical characterizations to improve the fundamental understanding of the degradation mechanism in polycrystalline Ni-rich cathodes at elevated temperatures. They found that grain microstructures play an essential role in the thermal stability of lithium-based positive battery electrodes, and that oxygen release during thermal runaway can be regulated by engineering grain arrangements. Additionally, the grain arrangements can also modulate the macroscopic crystallographic transformation pattern and oxygen diffusion length in layered oxide cathode materials.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Xianghui Xiao, Zhengrui Xu, Dong Hou, Zhijie Yang, Feng Lin
Summary: This study proposes a new method for image rigid registration, using the total variation of the difference map as a dissimilarity metric. The method demonstrates high accuracy and robustness in different noise and background conditions, outperforming other methods in all tests. This is significant for image registrations in nanoscale X-ray imaging and microscopy applications.
JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
(2022)
Article
Mechanics
Orion L. Kafka, Cheng Yu, Puikei Cheng, Sarah J. Wolff, Jennifer L. Bennett, Edward J. Garboczi, Jian Cao, Xianghui Xiao, Wing Kam Liu
Summary: This study investigates the tensile properties of nickel-based alloy IN718, focusing on the spatial and orientation-based differences. The researchers used in-situ x-ray computed tomography to observe the internal pore populations and measured the evolution of pore shape during deformation. The results were compared to simulations using a computational crystal plasticity scheme, providing insights into the grain orientation in which the pore resides. The measurements show that pores tend to grow and elongate in the direction of loading, consistent with ductile deformation, and do not cause premature failure.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOLIDS AND STRUCTURES
(2022)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Ke Yuan, Vitalii Starchenko, Nikhil Rampal, Fengchang Yang, Xianghui Xiao, Andrew G. Stack
Summary: The nucleation and growth of minerals have significant implications in various fields such as geology, environmental science, and materials science. By utilizing fast X-ray nanotomography, researchers have achieved high-resolution imaging of crystal growth in solutions, surpassing the capabilities of optical microscopy. In this study, a custom-designed aqueous flow cell was presented for investigating the effects of radiation damage on the growth reactions of barite crystals. The results showed that increasing the tomography scan frequency resulted in the dissolution of crystals, likely due to X-ray induced water radiolysis and pH decrease near the crystal surface. The flow cell demonstrated the potential to study a wide range of chemical reactions in solutions, beyond crystal nucleation and growth, by mitigating the radiation effects through fast flow and scan.
JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
(2023)