Pore-scale mechanisms and characterization of light oil storage in shale nanopores: New method and insights

A new method is proposed to analyze the pore-scale mechanisms and characterization of light oil storage in shale nanopores, which is based on the Hydrocarbon Vapor Adsorption (HVA) and Pore Calculation Model (PCM). First, the basic principle of the HVA-PCM method is introduced, and the experimental/mathematical analysis processes are given. Then, the HVA-PCM method is applied to shale samples to analyze the mechanisms and characterization of light oil storage in shale nanopores. The results provide insights into the pore-scale oil storage mechanisms, oil storage structure, oil film thickness, oil distribution within different sized pores, and the oil storage state. Finally, the advantages and limitations of the HVA-PCM method are discussed, and suggestions for further improvement are proposed. Overall, the HVA-PCM method is a powerful tool for extracting quantitative information on the light oil storage in shale nanopores. (C) 2022 China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and Peking University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.