Pore-scale imaging and analysis of low salinity waterflooding in a heterogeneous carbonate rock at reservoir conditions

Abstract X-ray micro-tomography combined with a high-pressure high-temperature flow apparatus and advanced image analysis techniques were used to image and study fluid distribution, wetting states and oil recovery during low salinity waterflooding (LSW) in a complex carbonate rock at subsurface cond...

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Autores principales:	Ahmed M. Selem, Nicolas Agenet, Ying Gao, Ali Q. Raeini, Martin J. Blunt, Branko Bijeljic
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/143c2600ab254915ae9e91107713c43d
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:143c2600ab254915ae9e91107713c43d2021-12-02T16:26:37ZPore-scale imaging and analysis of low salinity waterflooding in a heterogeneous carbonate rock at reservoir conditions10.1038/s41598-021-94103-w2045-2322https://doaj.org/article/143c2600ab254915ae9e91107713c43d2021-07-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94103-whttps://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract X-ray micro-tomography combined with a high-pressure high-temperature flow apparatus and advanced image analysis techniques were used to image and study fluid distribution, wetting states and oil recovery during low salinity waterflooding (LSW) in a complex carbonate rock at subsurface conditions. The sample, aged with crude oil, was flooded with low salinity brine with a series of increasing flow rates, eventually recovering 85% of the oil initially in place in the resolved porosity. The pore and throat occupancy analysis revealed a change in fluid distribution in the pore space for different injection rates. Low salinity brine initially invaded large pores, consistent with displacement in an oil-wet rock. However, as more brine was injected, a redistribution of fluids was observed; smaller pores and throats were invaded by brine and the displaced oil moved into larger pore elements. Furthermore, in situ contact angles and curvatures of oil–brine interfaces were measured to characterize wettability changes within the pore space and calculate capillary pressure. Contact angles, mean curvatures and capillary pressures all showed a shift from weakly oil-wet towards a mixed-wet state as more pore volumes of low salinity brine were injected into the sample. Overall, this study establishes a methodology to characterize and quantify wettability changes at the pore scale which appears to be the dominant mechanism for oil recovery by LSW.Ahmed M. SelemNicolas AgenetYing GaoAli Q. RaeiniMartin J. BluntBranko BijeljicNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-14 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Ahmed M. Selem Nicolas Agenet Ying Gao Ali Q. Raeini Martin J. Blunt Branko Bijeljic Pore-scale imaging and analysis of low salinity waterflooding in a heterogeneous carbonate rock at reservoir conditions
description	Abstract X-ray micro-tomography combined with a high-pressure high-temperature flow apparatus and advanced image analysis techniques were used to image and study fluid distribution, wetting states and oil recovery during low salinity waterflooding (LSW) in a complex carbonate rock at subsurface conditions. The sample, aged with crude oil, was flooded with low salinity brine with a series of increasing flow rates, eventually recovering 85% of the oil initially in place in the resolved porosity. The pore and throat occupancy analysis revealed a change in fluid distribution in the pore space for different injection rates. Low salinity brine initially invaded large pores, consistent with displacement in an oil-wet rock. However, as more brine was injected, a redistribution of fluids was observed; smaller pores and throats were invaded by brine and the displaced oil moved into larger pore elements. Furthermore, in situ contact angles and curvatures of oil–brine interfaces were measured to characterize wettability changes within the pore space and calculate capillary pressure. Contact angles, mean curvatures and capillary pressures all showed a shift from weakly oil-wet towards a mixed-wet state as more pore volumes of low salinity brine were injected into the sample. Overall, this study establishes a methodology to characterize and quantify wettability changes at the pore scale which appears to be the dominant mechanism for oil recovery by LSW.
format	article
author	Ahmed M. Selem Nicolas Agenet Ying Gao Ali Q. Raeini Martin J. Blunt Branko Bijeljic
author_facet	Ahmed M. Selem Nicolas Agenet Ying Gao Ali Q. Raeini Martin J. Blunt Branko Bijeljic
author_sort	Ahmed M. Selem
title	Pore-scale imaging and analysis of low salinity waterflooding in a heterogeneous carbonate rock at reservoir conditions
title_short	Pore-scale imaging and analysis of low salinity waterflooding in a heterogeneous carbonate rock at reservoir conditions
title_full	Pore-scale imaging and analysis of low salinity waterflooding in a heterogeneous carbonate rock at reservoir conditions
title_fullStr	Pore-scale imaging and analysis of low salinity waterflooding in a heterogeneous carbonate rock at reservoir conditions
title_full_unstemmed	Pore-scale imaging and analysis of low salinity waterflooding in a heterogeneous carbonate rock at reservoir conditions
title_sort	pore-scale imaging and analysis of low salinity waterflooding in a heterogeneous carbonate rock at reservoir conditions
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/143c2600ab254915ae9e91107713c43d
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Pore-scale imaging and analysis of low salinity waterflooding in a heterogeneous carbonate rock at reservoir conditions

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