Experimental Facility for Testing Unconventional Reservoirs: Effect of Geomechanics on Multiphase Flow Properties

Hydrocarbon production induces reservoir depletion changing the in-situ stress state. This process alters the effective stress and deforms the reservoir rock, changing the multiphase flow properties. An integrated laboratory testing facility was developed to investigate the effects of triaxial stress on the governing mechanisms of multiphase fluid flow. The paper describes the experimental facility for testing unconventional reservoirs and the system performance. The multiphase triaxial system is composed of a high-pressure triaxial cell, an axial loading system, a multiphase pore pressure circuit, a fluid phase separation system, and a logging system. The setup is installed inside an oven to maintain isothermal conditions. This study presents the initial results of testing on sandpack and Berea sandstone specimens. The experimental procedures and testing facility design can be applied across many disciplines which require two phase flow assessment until changing effective stress conditions including: geothermal processes, radioactive waste repositories, and carbon capture and storage operations.