Micro and nano scale transport phenomena in porous media with applications to unconventional hydrocarbon resources

微/纳米（小）尺度的输运现象，如天然气、石油或水在地下非常致密的岩石中流动，在自然界、技术和科学中比比皆是。小尺度流体输运机制是指流体流动中涉及微/纳米几何形状或由微/纳米尺度物体存在所产生的力驱动的流动。微/纳米传输现象的例子包括提高石油产量、基于化学的土壤和水的原位修复、二氧化碳的地质储存、非常致密储层的天然气生产、微生物的迁移、纳米技术和微化学反应器中的生物分析过程等等。支持页岩气储层输运机制研究及相关能源表征。产气页岩是一种具有高有机质含量的细粒沉积岩，是丰富的石油和天然气来源。由于粘土的含量，纳米孔隙中发生了解吸和气体输运。作为这项研究计划的一部分，我们将努力了解页岩中的气体输送机制，以及有机质（即干酪根）分布对这些机制的影响。此外，我们将研究气体通过页岩地层的渗透率。这将包括研究气体分子大小和孔隙表面对页岩渗透率的影响。在这个项目中，我们将为发现新现象进行实验，开发纳米尺度流动的数学模型，并使用高性能计算机模拟这些流动。这种高度集成的方法被认为是发现控制纳米尺度流动的物理机制所必需的，所获得的知识对其他领域也有价值。该项目还为培养研究生和博士后水平的高素质学生提供了良好的环境。

Micro/nano (small) scale transport phenomena such as flow of gas, oil or water in very tight underground rocks abound in nature, technology, and science. Small scale fluid transport mechanisms refer to the involvement of micro/nano geometries in fluid flows or flows driven by forces arising from the presence of micro/nano scale bodies. Examples of micro/nano transport phenomena include enhanced oil production, chemically based in-situ remediation of soil and water, geological storage of carbon dioxide, gas production from very tight reservoirs, migration of micro-organisms, bio-analytical processes in nanotechnology and micro-chemical reactors, and others. This proposal supports research on gas transport mechanisms in shale gas reservoirs, and the characterization of related energy resources. Gas producing shales are fine-grained sedimentary rocks with a high organic content that can be rich sources of petroleum and natural gas. Because of the clay content, desorption and gas transport occurs in nano-pores. As a part of this research program, we will work to understand the gas transport mechanisms in shale and the effect of the distribution of organic content, known as kerogen, on these mechanisms. Furthermore, we will research how easily gases can pass through shale formations with measures of property known as permeability. This will involve investigating the effects of gas molecule sizes and pore surfaces on shale permeability. Within this program, we will perform experiments for the discovery of new phenomena, develop a mathematical model of nano scale flows and simulate these flows using high performance computers. This highly integrated methodology is believed necessary to discover the physical mechanisms that control nano scale flows and the knowledge gained can be valuable to other fields. This program also provides an excellent environment to train highly qualified students at the graduate and postdoctoral levels.