--> Abstract: Evaluation of the Effect of Wettability Alteration from Oil Recovery in Carbonate Reservoirs, by James Sheng, Danielle Morel, and Pascal Gauer; #90105 (2010)
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AAPG GEO 2010 Middle East
Geoscience Conference & Exhibition
Innovative Geoscience Solutions – Meeting Hydrocarbon Demand in Changing Times
March 7-10, 2010 – Manama, Bahrain

Evaluation of the Effect of Wettability Alteration from Oil Previous HitRecoveryNext Hit in Carbonate Reservoirs

James Sheng1; Danielle Morel2; Pascal Gauer2

(1) TOTAL E&P, Houston, TX.

(2) TOTAL E&P, Pau, France.

More than 60% of the world’s oil reserves are held in carbonate reservoirs. Many unfavorable factors contribute to low oil Previous HitrecoveryNext Hit in these reservoirs. Fractured and oil-wet are two leading factors. Therefore, many research focuses have been put on these factors. Apparently, there is an increasing interest in using chemicals to alter wettability. Injection of chemicals can result in various effects, for example, wettability alteration and reduction in interfacial tension (IFT). The question is how much contribution from each mechanism to the increase in oil Previous HitrecoveryNext Hit. There is lack of such information in the literature. The information is very important because it will guide us to select what chemicals to be used.

This paper is to evaluate the effect of wettability alteration on oil Previous HitrecoveryNext Hit in carbonate reservoirs. The main objective is to quantify different Previous HitmechanismsNext Hit of wettability alteration in oil Previous HitrecoveryNext Hit related to chemical EOR. Particularly, we compare the effects of wettability alteration and interfacial tension. Both fractured and non-fractured reservoirs are addressed. Analytical models and numerical simulation models are used. Our results show that wettability alteration only plays important roles when IFT is high, and it is effective in the early time. IFT plays very important roles with or without wettability alteration and is effective during the entire process. The implication is that anionics used to reduce IFT is preferred to cationics used to alter wettability. Other observations are that in surfactant-induced wettability alteration with low IFT, gravity Previous HitdriveNext Hit is a very important mechanism. Molecular diffusion of chemicals affects oil Previous HitrecoveryNext Hit rate in the early time, but not ultimate oil Previous HitrecoveryTop.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90105 © 2010 AAPG GEO Middle East Conference & Exhibition, Manama, Bahrain, 7-10 March 2010