Analysis of wettability alteration in low salinity water flooding using a zeta potential-based model
Abstract view|130|times PDF download|53|times
Abstract
This study introduces a zeta potential-based model which connects low salinity water flooding oil recovery to the reservoir wettability. The model assumed that the reservoir wettability is controlled by the electrostatic forces that exist between rock-brine and oil-brine interfaces. Therefore, it links the wettability to the zeta potentials present at the corresponding interfaces. Using the model, various literature oil recovery data were simulated and then statistically compared the trend of the oil recovery factor with the trend of the wettability indicator values. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used for the statistical analysis. The results from the suggested model were compared with the outputs computed from other pre-existing models for wettability alteration. The simulation outcome indicated that a strong relationship exists between reservoir wettability and the zeta potentials produced at the rock-brine and oil-brine interfaces. The Pearson correlation coefficient calculated for the suggested model exceeded 0.7 for all the experimental cases simulated. However, most of the other pre-existing models showed weak relationships between the wettability indicator values and the oil recovery factor, with some models producing the Pearson correlation coefficient below 0.2. This study highlights the role of zeta potentials at the rock-brine and oil-brine interfaces on the wettability alteration during low salinity water flooding. The suggested model can be utilized in the decision making and implementation of low salinity water flooding works.
Document Type: Original article
Cited as: Boampong, L. O., Rafati, R., Haddad, A. S. Analysis of wettability alteration in low salinity water flooding using a zeta potential-based model. Capillarity, 2023, 7(2): 32-40. https://doi.org/10.46690/capi.2023.05.02
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Al Maskari, N. S., Almobarak, M., Saeedi, A., et al. Influence of pH on acidic oil-brine-carbonate adhesion using atomic force microscopy. Energy & Fuels, 2020, 34(11): 13750-13758.
Alshakhs, M. J., Kovscek, A. R. Understanding the role of brine ionic composition on oil recovery by assessment of wettability from colloidal forces. Advances in Colloid and Interface Science, 2016, 233: 126-138.
Boampong, L. O., Rafati, R., Sharifi Haddad, A. A calibrated surface complexation model for carbonate-oil-brine interactions coupled with reservoir simulation-Application to controlled salinity water flooding. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 2022a, 208(A): 109314.
Boampong, L. O., Rafati, R., Sharifi Haddad, A. Evaluation of sour gas-low salinity water-flooding in carbonate reservoirs-A numerical simulation approach. Petroleum Research, 2022b. (in Press)
Boampong, L. O., Rafati, R., Sharifi Haddad, A. Modelling of carbonate rock wettability based on surface charge and calcite dissolution. Fuel, 2022c, 331: 125856.
Bonto, M., Eftekhari, A. A., Nick, H. M. A calibrated model for the carbonate-brine-crude oil surface chemistry and its effect on the rock wettability, dissolution, and mechanical properties. Paper SPE 193865 Presented at the SPE Reservoir Simulation Conference, Galveston, Texas, 10-11 April, 2019.
Bonto, M., Eftekhari, A. A., Nick, H. M. Wettability indicator parameter based on the ther-modynamic modeling of chalk-oil-brine systems. Energy & Fuels, 2020, 34(7): 8018-8036.
Brady, P. V., Krumhansl, J. L., Mariner, P. E. Surface complexation modeling for improved oil recovery. Paper SPE 153744 Presented at the SPE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 14-18 April, 2012.
Chandrasekhar, S., Mohanty, K. K. Wettability alteration with brine composition in high temperature carbonate reservoirs. Paper SPE 166280 Presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, Louisiana, 30 September-2 October, 2013.
Chandrasekhar, S., Sharma, H., Mohanty, K. K. Wettability alteration with brine composition in high temperature carbonate rocks. Paper SPE 181700 Presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Dubai, UAE, 26-28 September, 2016.
Dang, C. T., Nghiem, L. X., Chen, Z. Modeling low salinity waterflooding: Ion exchange, geochemistry and wettability alteration. Paper SPE 166447 Presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, New Orleans, Louisiana, 30 September-2 October, 2013.
Eftekhari, A. A., Thomsen, K., Stenby, E. H., et al. Thermodynamic analysis of chalk-brine-oil interactions. Energy & Fuels, 2017, 31(11): 11773-11782.
Etemadi, A., Khodapanah, E., Tabatabaei-Nejad, S. A. Modelling low-salinity waterflooding: Effect of divalent cations and capillary pressure. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 2017, 149: 1-8.
Evje, S., Hiorth, A. A mathematical model for dynamic wettability alteration controlled by water-rock chemistry. Networks and Heterogeneous Media, 2010, 5(2): 217-256.
Fathi, S. J., Austad, T., Strand, S. Water-based enhanced oil recovery (EOR) by “smart water”: Optimal ionic composition for EOR in carbonates. Energy & Fuels, 2011, 25(11): 5173-5179.
Heberling, F., Trainor, T. P., Lützenkirchen, J., et al. Structure and reactivity of the calcite-water interface. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2011, 354(2): 843-857.
Hiemstra, T., Van Riemsdijk, W. H. A surface structural approach to ion adsorption: The charge distribution (CD) model. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 1996, 179(2): 488-508.
Hiorth, A., Cathles, L. M., Kolnes, J., et al. Chemical modelling of wettability change in carbonate rocks. Paper Presented at the Wettability Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 27-28 October, 2008.
Hiorth, A., Cathles, L. M., Madland, M. V. The impact of pore water chemistry on carbonate surface charge and oil wettability. Transport in Porous Media, 2010, 85: 1-21.
Jackson, M. D., Al-Mahrouqi, D., Vinogradov, J. Zeta potential in oil-water-carbonate systems and its impact on oil recovery during controlled salinity water-flooding. Scientific Reports, 2016, 6: 37363.
Jerauld, G. R., Lin, C. Y., Webb, K. J., et al. Modeling low-salinity waterflooding. SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, 2008, 11(6): 1000-1012.
Kazemi, A. K., Fu, W., Sanaei, A., et al. Mechanistic modeling of modified salinity water-flooding in carbonate reservoirs. Paper SPE 175102 Presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Houston, Texas, 28-30 September, 2015.
Kleppe, R., Khalediadusti, K. Studying the potential of calcite dissolution on oil liberation from rock surfaces during single-well-chemical-tracer tests by coupling a multiphase flow simulator to the geochemical package. Journal of Petroleum & Environmental Biotechnology, 2018, 9(1): 1000359.
Korrani, A. K. N., Jerauld, G. R. Modeling wettability change in sandstones and carbonates using a surface-complexation-based method. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 2019, 174: 1093-1112.
Lager, A., Webb, K. J., Black, C. J. J., et al. Low salinity oil recovery-An experimental investigation. Petrophysics, 2008, 49: 28-35.
Li, S., Hu., S. A brief review of the correlation between electrical properties and wetting behaviour in porous media. Capillarity, 2019, 2(3): 53-56.
Li, S., Leroy, P., Heberling, F., et al. Influence of surface conductivity on the apparent zeta potential of calcite. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2016, 468: 262-275.
Mahani, H., Keya, A. L., Berg, S., et al. Insights into the mechanism of wettability alteration by low-salinity flooding (LSF) in carbonates. Energy & Fuels, 2015, 29(3): 1352-1367.
Mahmud, W. N. Impact of salinity and temperature variations on relative permeability and residual oil saturation in neutral-wet sandstone. Capillarity, 2022, 5(2): 23-31.
Mehraban, M. F., Ayatollahi, S., Sharifi, M. Experimental investigation on synergic effect of salinity and pH during low salinity water injection into carbonate oil reservoirs. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 2021, 202: 108555.
Myint, P. C., Firoozabadi, A. Thin liquid films in improved oil recovery from low-salinity brine. Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science, 2015, 20(2): 105-114.
Omekeh, A., Friis, H. A., Fjelde, I., et al. Modeling of ion-exchange and solubility in low salinity water flooding. Paper SPE 154144 Presented at the SPE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 14-18 April, 2012.
Parkhurst, D. L. User’s guide to PHREEQC, a computer program for speciation, reaction path, advective-transport, and inverse geochemical calculation. U.S. Geological Survey, 1995.
Qiao, C., Johns, R., Li, L. Understanding the chemical mechanisms forlow salinity water-flooding. Paper SPE 180138 Presented at the SPE Europec Featured at 78th EAGE Con-ference and Exhibition, Vienna, Austria, 30 May-2 June, 2016.
Sari, A., Xie, Q., Chen, Y., et al. Drivers of low salinity effect in carbonate reservoirs. Energy & Fuels, 2017, 31(9): 8951-8958.
So, H. U., Postma, D., Jakobsen, R., et al. Competitive adsorption of arsenate and phosphate onto calcite; experimental results and modeling with CCM and CD-MUSIC. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2012, 93: 1-13.
Stipp, S. L. S. Toward a conceptual model of the calcite surface: Hydration, hydrolysis, and surface potential. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 1999, 63(19-20): 3121-3131.
Taheriotaghsara, M., Bonto, M., Nick, H. M., et al. Estimation of calcite wettability using surface forces. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 2021, 98: 444-457.
Takeya, M., Shimokawara, M., Elakneswaran, Y., et al. Predicting the electrokinetic properties of the crude oil/brine interface for enhanced oil recovery in low salinity water flooding. Fuel, 2019, 235: 822-831.
Tetteh, J. T., Barimah, R., Korsah, P. K. Ionic interactions at the crude oil-brine-rock interfaces using different surface complexation models and DLVO theory: Application to carbonate wettability. ACS Omega, 2022, 7(8): 7199-7212.
Xie, Q., Brady, P. V., Pooryousefy, E., et al. The low salinity effect at high temperatures. Fuel, 2017, 200: 419-426.
Zhang, P., Austad, T. The relative effects of acid number and temperature on chalk wettability. Paper SPE 92999 Presented at the SPE International Symposium on Oilfield Chemistry, The Woodlands, Texas, 2-4 February, 2005.
Zhang, P., Austad, T. Wettability and oil recovery from carbonates: Effects of temperature and potential determining ions. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2006, 279(1-3): 179-187.
Zivar, D., Ishanov, A., Pourafshary, P. Insights into wettability alteration during low-salinity water flooding by capacitance-resistance model. Petroleum Research, 2022, 7(4): 500-510.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2023 The Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.