PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

Carbonated Water Injection in Oil-Wet Carbonate Rocks: A Pore-Scale Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Brine Composition

SSRN Electronic Journal
  • 0
    Citations
  • 370
    Usage
  • 1
    Captures
  • 0
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Usage
    370
    • Abstract Views
      315
    • Downloads
      55
  • Captures
    1
  • Ratings
    • Download Rank
      786,636

Article Description

Research into the application of carbonated water injection (CWI) for oil recovery in carbonate reservoirs is still evolving. Previous studies have primarily focused on sandstone reservoirs; hence, characteristic pore-scale mechanisms that govern oil recovery in carbonates are still poorly understood. This study uses a pore-scale approach to investigate underlying mechanisms during CWI with different brine compositions and salinities. The results reveal that mere carbonation of brine deficient in potential determining ions (PDIs) – Ca2+, Mg2+, and SO42- – does not improve oil displacement efficiency. Particularly, certain pore-scale phenomena – wettability reversal and interfacial tension (IFT) reduction – that contribute to the improved displacement efficiency do not significantly change toward desirable states. Extant oil-wet conditions were maintained as we observed a marginal reduction in the average in-situ contact angle. In addition, equilibrium oil-brine IFT was similar to that of oil-brine systems characterized by high brine salinity. Contrarily, enriching low salinity seawater, containing definite amounts of PDIs, with CO2 promoted superior oil recovery with an incremental value as high as 24%. This enhanced performance was evidenced by the dominance of wettability reversal to near-neutral states. We hypothesize that wettability alteration originated from the reduction in electrostatic attraction between oil/brine and brine/rock interfaces through surface adsorption of SO42- ions in low-pH environments.

Bibliographic Details

Dayo Akindip; soheil saraji; Mohammad Piri

Elsevier BV

Carbonated water injection; Carbon sequestration; wettability alteration; Potential determining ions; Carbonate rocks; X-ray micro-computed tomography

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know