Permeability prediction for porous sandstone using digital twin modeling technology and Lattice Boltzmann method.

The permeability of porous rock is a crucial indicator evaluating its ability to allow liquids to pass through it. However, challenges are always encountered in measurement and prediction of permeability, including the complicated process of laboratory experiments and the refined 3D numerical reconstruction. In order to improve the efficiency and accuracy of permeability prediction, the digital twin modeling technology is proposed to generate homologous and heterogeneous digital sandstone models based on a single two-dimensional image in this paper. Comparison of the CT reconstruction with the digital twin of sandstone indicates that they are very similar in complementary solid-phase morphology of porous media, global parameters (total porosity, fractal dimension, tortuosity), and local parameters (porosity of sequence layer, pore and throat characteristics, coordination number). In addition, the permeability of CT reconstruction and ten digital twins are analyzed by using the Lattice Boltzmann Method. The results show that the permeability of digital twins is very stable and close to the CT reconstruction at three orthogonal directions. The findings in this study may provide an accurate, stable, rapid and economic method for predicting the permeability of porous media. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]