Testing theories of two-phase flow in porous media through experiment, imaging and modelling

This year sees a rare convergence of science and technology: X-ray microtomography now enables the imaging of fluids inside the pores of complex rocks, while computers today are so powerful that direct simulation of immiscible two-phase flow in porous materials is possible and accessible. I take advantage of this convergence to undertake the first direct comparison between the simulation and experiment of one fluid displacing another from microscopic pores, allowing me to test many of the theories used in scientific and industrial modelling. This research will have immediate application in improved efficiency of oil and gas extraction and lays important foundations in the study of groundwater flow and geo-sequestration of carbon dioxide.