Volume 26: Closing Carbon Cycles – A Transformation Process Involving Technology, Economy, and Society: Part I

Molecular Simulation of Gas-Water Competitive Adsorption in Shale Reservoirs Tao Huang, Linsong Cheng, Dehua Liu, Jing Sun

Abstract

Fracturing is needed to increase shale gas production due to the low porosity and permeability of shale reservoirs. As the main component of fracturing fluid, water is indispensable in the production and development of shale gas. This paper studies the invasion mechanism of fracturing fluid in shale reservoirs by simulating the competitive adsorption of methane and water. This study obtains the variation law of adsorption capacity, interaction force, and gas-water distribution under different gas-water ratios of different minerals. The electrostatic force in quartz plays a major adsorption role, and the van der Waals force in kaolinite plays a major adsorption role.

Keywords methane, water, competitive adsorption, molecular simulation, shale reservoirs