Work

Topological evolution: An unexplored aspect of hysteresis for multiphase flow in porous media

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The role of phase topology in hysteresis during fluid injection and withdrawal in porous media is not fully understood. We address this by providing experimental and theoretical evidence on three key findings. (1) The topological evolution of the nonwetting fluid is distinct from the capillary pressure and the specific interfacial area, as shown by experiments and a generalized model. (2) Saturation paths with identical capillary pressure and interfacial area show different topologies, revealing insights into energy dissipation and phase connectivity. (3) The topological evolution of the nonwetting phase follows predictable trajectories captured by a piecewise non-linear model. These findings offer practical implications for optimizing subsurface hydrogen and carbon dioxide storage systems and provide a novel approach to study complex systems with topological singularities.

Source: Physics of Fluids

DOI: 10.1063/5.0310578

Authors: Mohammad Ebadi, Douglas Meisenheimer, Dorthe Wildenschild, James McClure, Peyman Mostaghimi, Ryan T. Armstrong

Institutions: UNSW Sydney, Stanford University, Oregon State University, Virginia Tech

Language: English

Topic: Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques

Subfield: Ocean Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid