Preformed Particle Gel-Enhanced Surfactant Imbibition for Improving Oil Recovery in Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs

Abstract

Oil recovery from naturally fractured carbonate reservoirs has always been a challenging task because of two inherent features, (1) Fracture networks which aggravate the effectiveness of water or chemical flooding and (2) Oil-wet matrix which limits the capillary imbibition process that governs the recovery in the fractured reservoirs. To overcome these challenges, we propose a technique that combines two existing enhance oil recovery (EOR) methods. Millimeter-sized preformed particle gels (PPGs) treatment along with surfactant imbibition. This coupled method can improve the imbibition process by providing fast transport mechanism for the surfactant to the oil-wet matrix which will accelerates the recovery rate. The coupled injection of PPGs and surfactant will result in a higher injection pressure gradient in the reservoir because of the high flow resistance resulting from the gel particles. Which will generate an additional force to divert surfactant into the matrix area thus forced imbibition can be realized. The combination of PPG treatment and surfactant imbibition can be a viable EOR process that will provide more cost-effective method for improving oil recovery while reducing water production in naturally fractured reservoirs if the PPG and surfactant were chosen appropriately.

Meeting Name

SPE Heavy Oil Conference (2014: Jun. 10-12, Calgary, Canada)

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Crude Oil; Oil Shale; Oil Well Flooding; Petroleum Reservoir Evaluation; Petroleum Reservoirs; Reservoirs (Water); Surface Active Agents; Water Injection; Well Flooding; Capillary Imbibition; Cost-Effective Methods; Enhance Oil Recoveries; Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs; Fractured Reservoir; Imbibition Process; Injection Pressures; Naturally Fractured Reservoirs

International Standard Book Number (ISBN)

978-1632668875

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2014 Society of Petroleum Engineers(SPE), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jun 2014

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