The Mechanism of Emulsion Formation during Immiscible Fluid Flow in Geological Materials

Abstract

On the basis of the Laplasian theory of capillarity, laws of continuous media mechanics, and concepts of physical-chemical mechanics of heterogeneous substances, the mechanism of emulsion formation during immiscible fluid flow in rocks is given. It is shown that this mechanism does not depend on the choice of the porous medium model in certain limits, but is determined by stresses acting on the meniscus and by the presence of slow-moving fluid films on the pore surface. The obtained expression for the minimal radius of capillaries where emulsion can form, combined with relevant experimental results, suggests that setting of the pressure gradient can either trigger or prevent emulsification.