Digital Twin Modeling of Pore Structure and Fluid Flow in Weakly Cemented Sandstones

This study focuses on the pore-scale characterization and digital simulation of flow in weakly cemented, highly porous sandstones from the gas-condensate field on the Russian Arctic shelf. Mini-core specimens were scanned using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography on the ProCon X-Ray CT-MINI system. Quantitative analyses were performed to evaluate pore-size distributions, trace percolation pathways, and calculate tortuosity fields along the three principal axes. Numerical flow simulations under laminar conditions provided direct estimates of permeability. The results show that the pore system is well connected, with smooth gradients of tortuosity (factors of ~ 1.2–1.3) and dense networks of parallel percolation paths. Simulated permeability was found to be in close agreement with laboratory measurements and field data from the same depth interval. These findings demonstrate that the sandstone exhibits high connectivity and low anisotropy of transport properties at the specimen scale. From a fundamental standpoint, the results provide pore-scale evidence linking geometry to flow capacity in friable Arctic sandstones. From a practical perspective, the high permeability and redundancy of flow paths confirm the excellent reservoir quality of the studied interval, while the weak cementation highlights the need to manage sand-production risks. The consistency between digital, laboratory, and field-scale observations validates CT-based digital rock physics as a reliable tool for reservoir characterization and production optimization in challenging Arctic environments.