Abstract:
Shale reservoirs are characterized by their nanometer pore size. At the nanoscale, fluid flow mechanisms and phase behaviors are significantly influenced by the size and surface effects, resulting in deviations from classical fluid theories. Conventional oil and gas reservoir engineering theory is not fully applicable to shale reservoirs, restricting the efficient development of shale oil and gas. It is thus of both scientific significance and engineering value to clarify fluid transport and phase properties at the nanometer pore scale of shale. Nanofluidics, with the capabilities of precisely manufacturing pore structure and observing in-situ fluid behaviors at the nanoscale, gives new experimental insights into microscopic seepage and phase behavior of shale oil and gas, and provides essential validation for theoretical studies. This paper reviews recent research progress on the nanofluidic study of the nanoscale single- and two-phase flow of oil, gas and water, phase behavior of single- and multi-component hydrocarbons, diffusion and mixing process, as well as microphysical model of shale reservoirs. We focus on introducing nanofluidic methods to detect fluid characteristics, and the differences between experimental results and theoretical descriptions. The current limitations of nanofluidic studies of shale reservoir fluids are discussed in the end, and future directions in this field are foreseen.