Numerical solution of the Rapoport-Leas equation using the method of lines and the DASSL code (Q1571306)

The authors consider the problem of one-dimensional oil displacement by injection of water in laboratory experiments in porous media. Under the assumptions of incompressibility of fluids in the porous media and mass conservation of the phases, the fractional flow theory leads to the Rapoport-Leas equation. The continuity of pressure across the boundaries of the sample provides the boundary conditions for this parabolic problem. An algorithm based on the method-of-lines is proposed as a good alternative to classical numerical techniques.