A numerical study of pore‐fluid, thermal and mass flow in fluid‐saturated porous rock basins

We present a numerical methodology for the study of convective pore‐fluid, thermal and mass flow in fluid‐saturated porous rock basins. In particular, we investigate the occurrence and distribution pattern of temperature gradient driven convective pore‐fluid flow and hydrocarbon transport in the Australian North West Shelf basin. The related numerical results have demonstrated that: (1) The finite element method combined with the progressive asymptotic approach procedure is a useful tool for dealing with temperature gradient driven pore‐fluid flow and mass transport in fluid‐saturated hydrothermal basins; (2) Convective pore‐fluid flow generally becomes focused in more permeable layers, especially when the layers are thick enough to accommodate the appropriate convective cells; (3) Large dislocation of strata has a significant influence on the distribution patterns of convective pore‐fluid flow, thermal flow and hydrocarbon transport in the North West Shelf basin; (4) As a direct consequence of the formation of convective pore‐fluid cells, the hydrocarbon concentration is highly localized in the range bounded by two major faults in the basin.