scholarly journals A Selection Flowchart for Micromodel Experiments Based on Computational Fluid Dynamic Simulations of Surfactant Flooding in Enhanced Oil Recovery

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1887
Author(s):  
Santiago Céspedes ◽  
Alejandro Molina ◽  
Betiana Lerner ◽  
Maximiliano S. Pérez ◽  
Camilo A. Franco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fractal Dimension ◽  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Grain Shape ◽  
Recovery Factor ◽  
Injection Velocity ◽  
Breakthrough Time ◽  
Cfd Simulations

A selection flowchart that assists, through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, the design of microfluidic experiments used to distinguish the performance in Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery (CEOR) of two surfactants with very similar values of interfacial tension (IFT) was proposed and its use demonstrated. The selection flowchart first proposes an experimental design for certain modified variables (: porosity, grain shape, the presence of preferential flowing channels, and injection velocity). Experiments are then performed through CFD simulations to obtain a set of response variables (: recovery factor, breakthrough time, the fractal dimension of flow pattern, pressure drop, and entrapment effect). A sensitivity analysis of regarding the differences in the interfacial tension (IFT) can indicate the CFD experiments that could have more success when distinguishing between two surfactants with similar IFTs (0.037 mN/m and 0.045 mN/m). In the range of modifiable variables evaluated in this study (porosity values of 0.5 and 0.7, circular and irregular grain shape, with and without preferential flowing channel, injection velocities of 10 ft/day and 30 ft/day), the entrapment effect is the response variable that is most affected by changes in IFT. The response of the recovery factor and the breakthrough time was also significant, while the fractal dimension of the flow and the pressure drop had the lowest sensitivity to different IFTs. The experimental conditions that rendered the highest sensitivity to changes in IFT were a low porosity (0.5) and a high injection flow (30 ft/day). The response to the presence of preferential channels and the pore shape was negligible. The approach developed in this research facilitates, through CFD simulations, the study of CEOR processes with microfluidic devices. It reduces the number of experiments and increases the probability of their success.

scholarly journals Study of Enhanced Oil Recovery and Adsorption Using Glycerol in Surfactant Solution

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 3135
Author(s):  
Fabiola D. S. Curbelo ◽  
Alfredo Ismael C. Garnica ◽  
Danilo F. Q. Leite ◽  
Amanda B. Carvalho ◽  
Raphael R. Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Coconut Oil ◽  
Surfactant Solution ◽  
Recovery Factor ◽  
Sweep Efficiency ◽  
Brine Solution ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
Over Time

Over time, oil production in a reservoir tends to decrease, which makes it difficult to flow through the reservoir to the well, making its production increasingly difficult and costly. Due to their physical properties, such as reducing the water/oil interfacial tension, surfactants have been used in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes, however, their adsorption presents as an undesirable and inevitable factor and can decrease the efficiency of the method. This work’s main objective is to evaluate the effect of glycerol in the adsorption of surfactants in sandstones, as well as in the recovery factor during EOR. Brine solutions containing the nonionic surfactant saponified coconut oil (SCO), with and without glycerol, were used in the adsorption and oil recovery tests in sandstone. Adsorption, recovery, rheological, and thermogravimetric analysis were carried out. Regarding the surfactant/glycerol/brine solution, there was an improvement in the oil mobility, as the glycerol contributed to an increase in the viscosity of the solution, thereby increasing the sweep efficiency. The recovery factor obtained for the surfactant solution with glycerol was satisfactory, being 53% higher than without glycerol, because it simultaneously provided an increase in viscosity and a decrease in interfacial tension, both of which are beneficial for the efficiency of the process.

Ultra-Low Interfacial Tension of a Surfactant under a Wide Range of Temperature and Salinity Conditions for Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery

2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 252-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derong Xu ◽  
Wanli Kang ◽  
Liming Zhang ◽  
Jiatong Jiang ◽  
Zhe Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Low Interfacial Tension

scholarly journals Enhanced Oil Recovery: Chemical Flooding

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Ragab ◽  
Eman M. Mansour
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Recovery Phase ◽  
Mobility Ratio ◽  
Chemical Flooding ◽  
Sweep Efficiency ◽  
Oil Displacement ◽  
Remaining Oil ◽  
Oil Displacement Efficiency

The enhanced oil recovery phase of oil reservoirs production usually comes after the water/gas injection (secondary recovery) phase. The main objective of EOR application is to mobilize the remaining oil through enhancing the oil displacement and volumetric sweep efficiency. The oil displacement efficiency enhances by reducing the oil viscosity and/or by reducing the interfacial tension, while the volumetric sweep efficiency improves by developing a favorable mobility ratio between the displacing fluid and the remaining oil. It is important to identify remaining oil and the production mechanisms that are necessary to improve oil recovery prior to implementing an EOR phase. Chemical enhanced oil recovery is one of the major EOR methods that reduces the residual oil saturation by lowering water-oil interfacial tension (surfactant/alkaline) and increases the volumetric sweep efficiency by reducing the water-oil mobility ratio (polymer). In this chapter, the basic mechanisms of different chemical methods have been discussed including the interactions of different chemicals with the reservoir rocks and fluids. In addition, an up-to-date status of chemical flooding at the laboratory scale, pilot projects and field applications have been reported.

scholarly journals The Importance of Microemulsion for the Surfactant Injection Process in Enhanced Oil Recovery

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rini Setiati ◽  
Muhammad Taufiq Fathaddin ◽  
Aqlyna Fatahanissa
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Recovery Process ◽  
Injection System ◽  
Type I ◽  
Middle Phase ◽  
Interface Tension ◽  
Lower Phase ◽  
Injection Process

Microemulsion is the main parameter that determines the performance of a surfactant injection system. According to Myers, there are four main mechanisms in the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) surfactant injection process, namely interface tension between oil and surfactant, emulsification, decreased interfacial tension and wettability. In the EOR process, the three-phase regions can be classified as type I, upper-phase emulsion, type II, lower-phase emulsion and type III, middle-phase microemulsion. In the middle-phase emulsion, some of the surfactant grains blend with part of the oil phase so that the interfacial tension in the area is reduced. The decrease in interface tension results in the oil being more mobile to produce. Thus, microemulsion is an important parameter in the enhanced oil recovery process.

Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles for oil–water interfacial tension reduction in enhanced oil recovery

2018 ◽  
Vol 124 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hassan Soleimani ◽  
Mirza Khurram Baig ◽  
Noorhana Yahya ◽  
Leila Khodapanah ◽  
Maziyar Sabet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Zno Nanoparticles ◽  
Tension Reduction ◽  
Oil Water

Improved Fluids Characterization Model During Gas Huff-n-Puff EOR Processes in Unconventional Reservoirs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Yang ◽  
Xiaoli Li
Keyword(s):  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Fluid Model ◽  
Geometric Constraints ◽  
Confinement Effect ◽  
Recovery Factor ◽  
Unconventional Reservoirs ◽  
Compositional Simulation ◽  
Compositional Model ◽  
Characterization Model

Abstract Despite the great potential of unconventional hydrocarbons, the primary recovery factor from such reservoirs remain low. The gas-injection enhanced oil recovery (EOR) has been proved to be a promising approach by both laboratory and simulation studies. However, the fluid model for characterizing gas and oil in nanoscale pores has not been well understood and developed. Erroneous results can be generated if the bulk fluids model is applied, resulting in a large uncertainty for the numerical simulations. The objective of this work is to propose an improved fluids characterization model tailored for the compositional simulation of gas huff-n-puff in unconventional reservoirs. The Peng-Robinson equation of state (PR EOS) is used as the basic thermodynamic model in this work. Both the attraction parameter and the co-volume parameter in the PR EOS are simultaneously modified for the first time to reflect the effect of molecule-wall interaction and geometric constraints. The collected experimental data are used for validating the model. The newly generated PVT data are imported into the compositional model to numerically simulate the gas huff-n-puff process in the Middle Bakken formation to investigate the influence of modified fluid property on the production and ultimate recovery. The improved fluids characterization model is validated applicable to calculate the confined properties of reservoir fluids. It is demonstrated that the phase envelope of the confined reservoir fluids tends to shrink. At reservoir temperature, the bubble-point pressure of the Middle Bakken oil is reduced by 17.32% with consideration of the confinement effect. Such a significant suppression represents a late occurrence of the gas evaporation, which implies a potentially higher production of the shale oil reservoir. Compositional simulation predicts that the enhanced oil recovery efficiency of CO2 huff-n-puff is unsatisfactory for the specific well in this work, which is also demonstrated in the field pilot test. However, the confinement effect results in a 1.14% elevation of the oil recovery factor in 10 years production. This work not only deepens our understanding of the confinement effect on phase behavior characterization and also shed light on the computation of the thermodynamic properties of hydrocarbons in nanopores. The results also provide practical instructions for the EOR development of unconventional reservoirs.

Feasibility Study of Dual-Function Chemical in Reducing Surfactant Adsorption and Interfacial Tension for Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery Application

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Asyraf Md Akhir ◽  
Afif Izwan Abd Hamid ◽  
Ismail Mohd Saaid ◽  
Ahmad Kamal Idris ◽  
Nik Nor Azrizam Nik Norizam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Dual Function ◽  
Surfactant Adsorption

scholarly journals Nanotechnology in Enhanced Oil Recovery

Processes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 1073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Goshtasp Cheraghian ◽  
Sara Rostami ◽  
Masoud Afrand
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Physical And Mechanical Properties ◽  
Physical Characteristics ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Very High

Nanoparticles (NPs) are known as important nanomaterials for a broad range of commercial and research applications owing to their physical characteristics and properties. Currently, the demand for NPs for use in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is very high. The use of NPs can drastically benefit EOR by changing the wettability of the rock, improving the mobility of the oil drop and decreasing the interfacial tension (IFT) between oil/water. This paper focuses on a review of the application of NPs in the flooding process, the effect of NPs on wettability and the IFT. The study also presents a review of several investigations about the most common NPs, their physical and mechanical properties and benefits in EOR.

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