Statistical .Approach to Miscible Displacement in Porous Media
A. E. SCHEIDEGGER
In recent years, the displacement of fluids from porous media by others which are miscible with the former has received much attention. This is mostly due to its bearing upon new unconventional methods of oil recovery which recently have gained increasing importance. The present paper surveys the tools that are available and outlines the historical development of these tools. It is shown that, owing to the compiexity of porous media, one has, in any case, to have recourse to 'models'. The first of these to be investigated were capillaric models; it is shown that these were inadequate. The development leading to statistical models is sketched and an outline is given of the requirements in any statistical model. It is shown that one has to make three sets of assumptions: one concerning the 'population' on which the statistics are based, another regarding what type of statistics is to be used, and . a third as to the microscopic flow law. Finally, the statistical theories are briefly compared with the results of experiments, as far as the latter are available. It is shown that the idea of using statistical mechanics is thereby supported
Keywords:
capillaries, miscible, porous medium, statistical mechanics, statistical model, Displacement, experiment, Experiments, flow, Fluids, Model, Models, particles, Statistics, Systems
