Chemical influence of pore pressure on brine flow in clay-rich material

Etienne Cassini, Danila Mylnikov, Roman Makhnenko

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Hydromechanical properties of shales are complex due to the involved material structure, with the solid matrix being mainly formed by swelling clays and porosity dominated by nanometer scale tortuous voids with large aspect ratios. Intrinsic permeability of restructured Opalinus Clay (Swiss shale) brought to shallow geological storage conditions was measured with in situ brine. Under constant temperature, vertical stress, and downstream fluid pressure, steady-state flow experiments show a significant trend of permeability decrease with increasing differential (upstream minus downstream) fluid pressure, thus contradicting the conventional Darcy’s description. To interpret these experimental measurements, brine permeability is derived using a one-step self-consistent homogenization scheme based on the knowledge of material’s pore structure. While mechanical and thermal effects cannot explain the permeability decrease, the trend is reproduced with the correct order of magnitude by considering a chemical effect: a pore size reduction in the sample due to water adsorption at mineral surface.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAdvances in Laboratory Testing and Modelling of Soils and Shales, ATMSS 2017
EditorsFerrari Ferrari, Lyesse Laloui, Ferrari Ferrari
PublisherSpringer
Pages273-280
Number of pages8
ISBN (Print)9783319527727
DOIs
StatePublished - 2017
EventInternational Workshop on Advances in Laboratory Testing and Modelling of Soils and Shales, ATMSS 2017 - Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland
Duration: Jan 18 2017Jan 20 2017

Publication series

NameSpringer Series in Geomechanics and Geoengineering
Volume0
ISSN (Print)1866-8755
ISSN (Electronic)1866-8763

Other

OtherInternational Workshop on Advances in Laboratory Testing and Modelling of Soils and Shales, ATMSS 2017
Country/TerritorySwitzerland
CityVillars-sur-Ollon
Period1/18/171/20/17

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
  • Mechanics of Materials

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