Analysis of Oil Recovery by Spontaneous Imbibition of Surfactant Solution

Depending on rock and oil type, lowered interfacial tension (IFT) by the addition of surfactant to brine may contribute to capillary imbibition recovery with the support of gravity drainage in naturally fractured reservoirs (NFR). This paper aims at identifying and analyzing the recovery mechanisms and performing up-scaling exercises for oil recovery from different rock types by the capillary (spontaneous) imbibition of surfactant solution. Laboratory tests were performed using four different rock types that could possibly be the reservoir rock matrix of the NFRs (sandstone, limestone, dolomitic limestone and chalk). The sandstone sample was surface-coated to create a boundary condition causing only counter-current interaction. Wide variety of oils (light and heavy-crude oils, kerosene, and engine oil) was selected as the oleic phase. Different types (non-ionic and anionic) and concentrations of surfactants were used as the aqueous phase as well as the brine as a base case. The samples fully saturated with oil (Swi= 0) were exposed to static capillary imbibition and the recovery was monitored against time. Some experiments on the chalks were repeated using pre-wet samples (Swi > 0) to clarify the changes in the capillary imbibition characteristics of the rock. The changes (positive or negative) in the recovery rate and ultimate recovery compared to the brine imbibition were evaluated for the rock, surfactant and oil types. It was observed, for some rock samples, that the imbibition recovery by surfactant solution was strictly controlled by the concentration of the surfactant. The difference in the recovery rate and ultimate recovery between high and low IFT could be due not only to change in the IFT but also the change in the wettability and adsorption, which might vary with the rock type. This was also analyzed using the shape of the curves that indicates the strength of the capillarity on the recovery and the interaction type, i.e., co- or counter-current. In addition to the above-mentioned qualitative analysis, the recovery curves were evaluated for upscaling. Existing dimensionless scaling groups were tested. The scaling exercise helped identify whether the recovery is driven by gravity or capillary forces and clarify the interaction type, i.e., co-or countercurrent or both. The ultimate recoveries were correlated to the Inverse Bond Number using twenty-five cases covering different combinations of four rock types, four oil and four surfactant samples

Fluid-fluid interaction during miscible and immiscible displacement under ultrasonic waves

This paper aims at identifying and analyzing the influence of high-frequency, high-intensity ultrasonic radiation at the interface between immiscible (different types of oils and aqueous solutions) and miscible (different types of oil and solvent) fluids. An extensive set of Hele-Shaw type experiments were performed for several viscosity ratios, and interfacial tension. Fractal analysis techniques were applied to quantify the degree of fingering and branching. This provided a rough assessment of the degree of perturbation generated at the interface when the capillary forces along with the viscous forces are effective. Miscible Hele-Shaw experiments were also presented to isolate the effect of viscous forces. We found that ultrasound acts to stabilize the interfacial front, and that such effect is most pronounced at low viscosity ratios

BioDiesel as Additive in High Pressure and Temperature Steam Recovery of Heavy Oil and Bitumen

Use of additives to improve the efficiency of thermal heavy oil and bitumen recovery processes has been studied extensively over the decades. Two common types of additives used in thermal applications, mainly steam assisted recovery, are solvents and surfactants. Commercial use of solvents has setbacks due to their high costs and retrieval difficulties. Cost and stability of the surfactants under reservoir operating temperature and pressure are the major concerns. We propose the use of bioDiesel such as fatty acids methyl ester as a surfactant additive reducing heavy oil/bitumen-water interfacial tension in steam assisted recovery processes. Advantages of using bioDiesel as a surfactant additive are that bioDiesel is chemically stable under the operating pressure and temperature of the reservoir, it causes no harm on bitumen fuel quality and on release water chemistry and its use is economically feasible. We conducted a series of steam assisted bitumen recovery experiments to clarify the additional recovery potential and efficiency improvement capacity of bioDiesel. High pressure steam at 1.8 MPa pressure, 205°C was used in these tests at a 900 g/h feed rate. The porous media used was a normal grade oil sands ore obtained from a surface mine operation in Northern Alberta, Canada. Oil sands ore was packed in a basket and placed in a high pressure cell. Bitumen recovery experiments were performed by spraying canola oil fatty acid methyl ester on oil sands ore at a 2 g/kg-bitumen dosage. These tests show that bitumen recovery efficiency increases over 40%. In another series of tests, tall oil fatty acids methyl ester was injected into a high pressure steam line at a 8.3 g-bioDiesel/kg-steam dosage. Because of the solubility of bioDiesel in bitumen, the effect of bioDiesel on bitumen recovery could not be accurately concluded. Vapor pressure measurements performed on canola oil and tall oil derived bioDiesel samples suggest that saturation compositions of bioDiesel in steam at 1.8 MPa pressure and 205°C are at least one order of magnitude higher than the requested bioDiesel dosages. Further tests are planned by reducing bioDiesel dosages to about 0.5 to 1.0 g-bioDiesel/kilogram-steam and by monitoring the solubility of bioDiesel in bitumen

BioDiesel as Additive in High Pressure and Temperature Steam Recovery of Heavy Oil and Bitumen

Use of additives to improve the efficiency of thermal heavy oil and bitumen recovery processes has been studied extensively over the decades. Two common types of additives used in thermal applications, mainly steam assisted recovery, are solvents and surfactants. Commercial use of solvents has setbacks due to their high costs and retrieval difficulties. Cost and stability of the surfactants under reservoir operating temperature and pressure are the major concerns. We propose the use of bioDiesel such as fatty acids methyl ester as a surfactant additive reducing heavy oil/bitumen-water interfacial tension in steam assisted recovery processes. Advantages of using bioDiesel as a surfactant additive are that bioDiesel is chemically stable under the operating pressure and temperature of the reservoir, it causes no harm on bitumen fuel quality and on release water chemistry and its use is economically feasible. We conducted a series of steam assisted bitumen recovery experiments to clarify the additional recovery potential and efficiency improvement capacity of bioDiesel. High pressure steam at 1.8 MPa pressure, 205°C was used in these tests at a 900 g/h feed rate. The porous media used was a normal grade oil sands ore obtained from a surface mine operation in Northern Alberta, Canada. Oil sands ore was packed in a basket and placed in a high pressure cell. Bitumen recovery experiments were performed by spraying canola oil fatty acid methyl ester on oil sands ore at a 2 g/kg-bitumen dosage. These tests show that bitumen recovery efficiency increases over 40%. In another series of tests, tall oil fatty acids methyl ester was injected into a high pressure steam line at a 8.3 g-bioDiesel/kg-steam dosage. Because of the solubility of bioDiesel in bitumen, the effect of bioDiesel on bitumen recovery could not be accurately concluded. Vapor pressure measurements performed on canola oil and tall oil derived bioDiesel samples suggest that saturation compositions of bioDiesel in steam at 1.8 MPa pressure and 205°C are at least one order of magnitude higher than the requested bioDiesel dosages. Further tests are planned by reducing bioDiesel dosages to about 0.5 to 1.0 g-bioDiesel/kilogram-steam and by monitoring the solubility of bioDiesel in bitumen

Experimental and Numerical Modeling of Heavy-Oil Recovery by Electrical Heating

Electrical heating for heavy-oil recovery is not a new idea but commercialization and wider application of this technique require detailed analyses for determination of optimal application conditions. In this study, applicability of electrical heating for heavy-oil recovery from two heavy-oil fields in Turkey (Bati Raman and Camurlu) was tested experimentally and numerically. The physical and chemical properties of the oil samples for the two fields were compiled and measured. Then, core samples were exposed to electrical heating and oil recovery performances by the retort technique were determined for different conditions. Experiments with and without using iron powder were analyzed and in-situ viscosity reduction during the heating process was determined through a history matching process using the simulation of the laboratory experiments. Experimentally obtained oil recovery and temperature distributions were used in this history matching exercise. Iron powder addition to oil samples causes a decrease in the polar components of oil and the viscosity of oil can strongly be influenced by the magnetic fields created by iron powders. Therefore, three different iron powder types at three different doses were tested to observe their impact on oil recovery. Experimental observations showed that viscosity reductions were accomplished as 88% and 63% for Bati Raman and Camurlu crude oils, respectively, after 0.5% Fe addition, which was determined as the optimum type and dose for both crude oil samples. Different parameters (thermal diffusion coefficients, oil viscosity, and relative permeabilities) that are needed in numerical modeling as data were determined through experimentally validated numerical modeling study. Furthermore, field scale recovery was tested numerically using the parameters obtained from laboratory scale experimental and numerical modeling results. The power of the system, operation period and the number of heaters were optimized. Economic evaluation done using the field scale numerical modeling study showed that the production of one barrel petroleum costs about 5 USD and at the end of 70 days, 320 barrels petroleum can be produced. When 0.5% Fe is added, oil production increased to 440 barrels for the same operational time period