Experimental study of the effects of hydraulic gradient and injected-gas flow rate on fragmentation in porous media

This work presents an experimental study of the displacement of a gas phase (air) injected in a porous medium initially saturated with a flowing liquid phase (oil). An etched bidimensional pore-network micromodel was used as a porous medium. Flow photos at different times until breakthrough indicate that the gas phase may be fragmented on disconnected blobs. Fragmentation depends on the oil and gas flow rates and the oil viscosity.