Coupled Mechanisms of Pore-Throat Structure Regulation and Flow Behavior in Deep-Water Tight Reservoirs Using Nanocomposite Gels.

Abstract

Understanding how nanocomposite gels regulate pore-throat structures and flow behavior is essential for improving profile control and flow diversion in deep-water tight reservoirs. In this study, a dual-structure-regulated nanocomposite gel (DSRC-NCG) was designed, and its structure-flow coupling behavior during gel injection, curing, and degradation was systematically investigated using multiscale flow configurations, including microfluidic models, artificial cores, and sandpack systems. Microstructural evolution and pore-throat connectivity were characterized using μCT imaging, mercury intrusion porosimetry, nitrogen adsorption, and image-based flow simulations, while macroscopic flow responses were evaluated through permeability variation, dominant-channel evolution, injectivity behavior, and quantitative indices including the structure regulation index (SRI) and pore-flow matching index (HCI). The results show that increasing SiO₂ content induces a progressive optimization of pore-flow matching by refining critical throats and suppressing preferential flow channels, whereas excessive nanoparticle loading leads to aggregation and attenuation of these effects. This study proposes a multiscale structure-flow coupling framework that quantitatively connects pore-throat regulation with macroscopic flow responses during nanocomposite gel injection and degradation. These findings offer mechanistic insights and practical guidance for the design of nanocomposite gels with improved flow-regulation efficiency and reversibility in deep-water tight reservoir applications.