Data for "Contact Angle Impacts on Multiphase Displacement in Fractured Porous Media: A Microfluidic Study"

Multiphase displacement in fractured porous media is critical for various subsurface processes. Recent studies have demonstrated the significant role of contact angle in determining displacement regimes in homogenous porous media, yet the understanding of its impacts on flow in fractured porous media remains insufficient. We conduct microfluidics experiments to study the combined impacts of contact angle, fracture aperture, and capillary number on displacement patterns in fractured micromodels. Results show transitions from matrix-preferential flow to fracture-preferential flow and finally to fracture flow even when contact angles are much smaller than 90. Aperture-dependent phase diagrams are proposed to predict the displacement patterns at varying capillary numbers and contact angles. Pore-scale observations suggest that the transition of flow regimes is controlled by pore-scale mechanisms which constrain the crossflow from the fracture to the matrix. This study provides physical insights on incorporating contact angle into the prediction of flow in complex fractured porous media.