Simulation and Determination of Optimal Variables for Increased Oil Recovery Potential of Surfactant Polymer Flooding

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arunima Singh ◽  
Rohan Jindal ◽  
Amit Saxena
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Recovery Potential ◽  
Increased Oil Recovery

Enhancing Heavy-Oil-Recovery Efficiency by Combining Low-Salinity-Water and Polymer Flooding

SPE Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Yang Zhao ◽  
Shize Yin ◽  
Randall S. Seright ◽  
Samson Ning ◽  
Yin Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Heavy Oil ◽  
High Salinity ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Heavy Oil Recovery ◽  
Sweep Efficiency ◽  
Low Salinity ◽  
Low Salinity Water ◽  
Salinity Water ◽  
Increased Oil Recovery

Summary Combining low-salinity-water (LSW) and polymer flooding was proposed to unlock the tremendous heavy-oil resources on the Alaska North Slope (ANS). The synergy of LSW and polymer flooding was demonstrated through coreflooding experiments at various conditions. The results indicate that the high-salinity polymer (HSP) (salinity = 27,500 ppm) requires nearly two-thirds more polymer than the low-salinity polymer (LSP) (salinity = 2,500 ppm) to achieve the target viscosity at the condition of this study. Additional oil was recovered from LSW flooding after extensive high-salinity-water (HSW) flooding [3 to 9% of original oil in place (OOIP)]. LSW flooding performed in secondary mode achieved higher recovery than that in tertiary mode. Also, the occurrence of water breakthrough can be delayed in the LSW flooding compared with the HSW flooding. Strikingly, after extensive LSW flooding and HSP flooding, incremental oil recovery (approximately 8% of OOIP) was still achieved by LSP flooding with the same viscosity as the HSP. The pH increase of the effluent during LSW/LSP flooding was significantly greater than that during HSW/HSP flooding, indicating the presence of the low-salinity effect (LSE). The residual-oil-saturation (Sor) reduction induced by the LSE in the area unswept during the LSW flooding (mainly smaller pores) would contribute to the increased oil recovery. LSP flooding performed directly after waterflooding recovered more incremental oil (approximately 10% of OOIP) compared with HSP flooding performed in the same scheme. Apart from the improved sweep efficiency by polymer, the low-salinity-induced Sor reduction also would contribute to the increased oil recovery by the LSP. A nearly 2-year pilot test in the Milne Point Field on the ANS has shown impressive success of the proposed hybrid enhanced-oil-recovery (EOR) process: water-cut reduction (70 to less than 15%), increasing oil rate, and no polymer breakthrough so far. This work has demonstrated the remarkable economical and technical benefits of combining LSW and polymer flooding in enhancing heavy-oil recovery.

scholarly journals Controlled Salinity-Biosurfactant Enhanced Oil Recovery at Ambient and Reservoir Temperatures—An Experimental Study

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1077
Author(s):  
Tinuola Udoh ◽  
Jan Vinogradov
Keyword(s):  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Core Flooding ◽  
Improved Oil Recovery ◽  
Rock Samples ◽  
Recovery Potential ◽  
System Temperature ◽  
High And Low Temperatures ◽  
First Time ◽  
Increased Oil Recovery

In this paper, a thorough experimental investigation of enhanced oil recovery via controlled salinity-biosurfactant injection under typical reservoir temperature conditions is reported for the first time. Sixteen core flooding experiments were carried out with four displacing fluids in carbonate rock samples and the improved oil recovery was investigated in secondary, tertiary and quaternary injection modes. The temperature effect on oil recovery during floodings was compared at two temperatures (23 °C and 70 °C) on similar rock samples and fluids using two types of biosurfactants: GreenZyme® and rhamnolipids. The results of this study show that injection of controlled salinity brine (CSB) and controlled salinity biosurfactant brine (CSBSB) improve oil recovery relative to injection of high salinity formation brine (FMB) at both high and low temperatures. At 23 °C, CSBSB improved oil recovery by 15–17% OIIP compared with conventional FMB injection, and by 4–8% OIIP compared with CSB injection. At 70 °C, the injection of CSBSB increased oil recovery by 10–13% OIIP compared with injection of FMB, and by 2–6% OIIP compared with CSB injection. Furthermore, increase in the system temperature generally resulted in increased oil recovery, irrespective of the type of the injection brine. The results of this study have demonstrated for the first time the enhanced oil recovery potential of combined controlled salinity brine and biosurfactant applications at temperature relevant to hydrocarbon reservoirs. The results of this study are significant for the design of controlled salinity and biosurfactant flooding in carbonate reservoirs.

LARGE-SCALE SIMULATION OF OIL RECOVERY BY SURFACTANT-POLYMER FLOODING

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.Zh. Akhmed-Zaki ◽  
T.S. Imankulov ◽  
B. Matkerim ◽  
B.S. Daribayev ◽  
K.A. Aidarov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Large Scale Simulation

Determination of Optimum Parameters for Anaerobic Thermophilic Bacterium Injection using Commercial Simulator: Core Flooding Validation and Sensitivity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Koto
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Simulation Experiment ◽  
Previous Experiment ◽  
Core Sample ◽  
Thermophilic Bacterium ◽  
Injection Rate ◽  
Core Flooding ◽  
Optimum Parameters ◽  
Result Show

The objective of this paper is to determine the optimum anaerobic-thermophilic bacterium injection (Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery) parameters using commercial simulator from core flooding experiments. From the previous experiment in the laboratory, Petrotoga sp AR80 microbe and yeast extract has been injected into core sample. The result show that the experiment with the treated microbe flooding has produced more oil than the experiment that treated by brine flooding. Moreover, this microbe classified into anaerobic thermophilic bacterium due to its ability to live in 80 degC and without oxygen. So, to find the optimum parameter that affect this microbe, the simulation experiment has been conducted. The simulator that is used is CMG – STAR 2015.10. There are five scenarios that have been made to forecast the performance of microbial flooding. Each of this scenario focus on the injection rate and shut in periods. In terms of the result, the best scenario on this research can yield an oil recovery up to 55.7%.

scholarly journals Experimental investigation of the displacement flow mechanism and oil recovery in primary polymer flood operations

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruissein Mahon ◽  
Gbenga Oluyemi ◽  
Babs Oyeneyin ◽  
Yakubu Balogun
Keyword(s):  
Relative Permeability ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Mobility Control ◽  
List Type ◽  
Motor Oil ◽  
Flow Mechanism ◽  
Fractional Flow ◽  
Recovery Method ◽  
Polymer Flood

Abstract Polymer flooding is a mature chemical enhanced oil recovery method employed in oilfields at pilot testing and field scales. Although results from these applications empirically demonstrate the higher displacement efficiency of polymer flooding over waterflooding operations, the fact remains that not all the oil will be recovered. Thus, continued research attention is needed to further understand the displacement flow mechanism of the immiscible process and the rock–fluid interaction propagated by the multiphase flow during polymer flooding operations. In this study, displacement sequence experiments were conducted to investigate the viscosifying effect of polymer solutions on oil recovery in sandpack systems. The history matching technique was employed to estimate relative permeability, fractional flow and saturation profile through the implementation of a Corey-type function. Experimental results showed that in the case of the motor oil being the displaced fluid, the XG 2500 ppm polymer achieved a 47.0% increase in oil recovery compared with the waterflood case, while the XG 1000 ppm polymer achieved a 38.6% increase in oil recovery compared with the waterflood case. Testing with the motor oil being the displaced fluid, the viscosity ratio was 136 for the waterflood case, 18 for the polymer flood case with XG 1000 ppm polymer and 9 for the polymer flood case with XG 2500 ppm polymer. Findings also revealed that for the waterflood cases, the porous media exhibited oil-wet characteristics, while the polymer flood cases demonstrated water-wet characteristics. This paper provides theoretical support for the application of polymer to improve oil recovery by providing insights into the mechanism behind oil displacement. Graphic abstract Highlights The difference in shape of relative permeability curves are indicative of the effect of mobility control of each polymer concentration. The water-oil systems exhibited oil-wet characteristics, while the polymer-oil systems demonstrated water-wet characteristics. A large contrast in displacing and displaced fluid viscosities led to viscous fingering and early water breakthrough.

scholarly journals Enhanced oil recovery mechanisms of polymer flooding in a heterogeneous oil reservoir

2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-178
Author(s):  
Xiangguo LU ◽  
Bao CAO ◽  
Kun XIE ◽  
Weijia CAO ◽  
Yigang LIU ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Oil Reservoir ◽  
Recovery Mechanisms

scholarly journals Investigation on degradation mechanism of polymer blockages in unconsolidated sandstone reservoirs

e-Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-60
Author(s):  
Wenting Dong ◽  
Dong Zhang ◽  
Keliang Wang ◽  
Yue Qiu
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Degradation Mechanism ◽  
Injection Pressure ◽  
Polymer Flooding ◽  
Core Flooding ◽  
Reservoir Properties ◽  
Thermal Analyzer ◽  
Sandstone Reservoirs ◽  
Suction Index ◽  
Weighing Method

AbstractPolymer flooding technology has shown satisfactorily acceptable performance in improving oil recovery from unconsolidated sandstone reservoirs. The adsorption of the polymer in the pore leads to the increase of injection pressure and the decrease of suction index, which affects the effect of polymer flooding. In this article, the water and oil content of polymer blockages, which are taken from Bohai Oilfield, are measured by weighing method. In addition, the synchronous thermal analyzer and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) are used to evaluate the composition and functional groups of the blockage, respectively. Then the core flooding experiments are also utilized to assess the effect of polymer plugs on reservoir properties and optimize the best degradant formulation. The results of this investigation show that the polymer adsorption in core after polymer flooding is 0.0068 g, which results in a permeability damage rate of 74.8%. The degradation ability of the agent consisting of 1% oxidizer SA-HB and 10% HCl is the best, the viscosity of the system decreases from 501.7 to 468.5 mPa‧s.

Enhanced Oil Recovery Application of Nanoparticles in Niger Delta Water-Wet Reservoir Rock

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tinuola Udoh
Keyword(s):  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Niger Delta ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Reservoir Rock ◽  
Core Flooding ◽  
Core Samples ◽  
Recovery Potential ◽  
Secondary Formation ◽  
Injection Modes

Abstract In this paper, the enhanced oil recovery potential of the application of nanoparticles in Niger Delta water-wet reservoir rock was investigated. Core flooding experiments were conducted on the sandstone core samples at 25 °C with the applications of nanoparticles in secondary and tertiary injection modes. The oil production during flooding was used to evaluate the enhanced oil recovery potential of the nanoparticles in the reservoir rock. The results of the study showed that the application of nanoparticles in tertiary mode after the secondary formation brine flooding increased oil production by 16.19% OIIP. Also, a comparison between the oil recoveries from secondary formation brine and nanoparticles flooding showed that higher oil recovery of 81% OIIP was made with secondary nanoparticles flooding against 57% OIIP made with formation brine flooding. Finally, better oil recovery of 7.67% OIIP was achieved with secondary application of nanoparticles relative to the tertiary application of formation brine and nanoparticles flooding. The results of this study are significant for the design of the application of nanoparticles in Niger Delta reservoirs.

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