The Flow of Gas-Liquid Mixtures Through Unconsolidated Sands

Abstract

A method is described for studying the flow of gas‐liquid mixtures through unconsolidated sands. Results are given for experiments on four sands of widely different permeabilities using carbon dioxide and water as the fluids. A relation between permeability and liquid‐saturation of the sand is found which permits the correlation of saturation and the steady state flow of the gas and liquid components. Generalization of these results for all unconsolidated sands seems permissible. The phenomena of equilibrium permeability and equilibrium liquid‐saturation are described and their significance discussed. It is believed that the experimental attack and type of analysis is applicable to the general problem of the flow of gas‐liquid mixtures through porous media.