Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/T28959/01
Title:	Skeletonisation, entropic characterisation and conductivity-permeability relationship in porous media
Principal Investigator:	King, Professor PR
Other Investigators:	Blunt, Professor MJ
Researcher Co-Investigators:	Dr R Blumenfeld
Project Partners:
Department:	Department of Earth Sciences
Organisation:	Imperial College London
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	24 January 2005	Ends:	23 January 2008	Value (£):	293,952
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Multiphase Flow Oil & Gas Extraction
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
The aim of this proposal is to exploit recent progress in the fields of granular and cellular systems for (1) the development of a new characterisation method of porous media and (2) the development of fundamental relations between the characteristics of the porescale structure and macroscopic permeability and electrical conductivity. This will be achieved by first developing a skeletonisation method combined with a new fabric tensor that describes the local pore structure, and then using it to construct an entropic description of porous systems based on the Edwards formalism and the compactivity concept. This description will then be used to relate the structure to the permeability and conductivity on the porescale. Finally, these relations will be coarse-grained to yield a macroscopic structure-property relationship. The method proposed here is uniquely suited to relate the conductivity and the flow permeability through their derivation from the same microstructural characterisation. It also makes it possible to understand from first principles the origin of the broad permeability distribution usually measured in many porous media. The project will involve a collaboration between Imperial College and cambridge University and will be carried out in both institutes. Some of the outcomes of this work are will be relevant to multiphase flow and therefore of great interest to oil companies. Indeed, some industrial support (50% RA time) has been secured. The project represents good value for money in that its successful completion will result in a major progress that will benefit several communities both in science and engineering.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.imperial.ac.uk