Pelargonic acid in enhanced oil recovery

Oxidation of monounsaturated fatty acids, such as erucic and oleic acids, results in the formation of dibasic fatty acids, such as brassylic and azelaic acids. Dibasic acids find many industrial applications. Pelargonic acid is the co-product of the process. Expanded use of dibasic acids would require an expansion in the existing and possibly new uses for pelargonic acid and its derivatives. In this study, the potential for using pelargonic acid in enhanced oil recovery is investigated. Experimental results are presented for the enhanced oil recovery by waterflooding with the aid of a surfactant.In situ formation of surfactant at the oil-water interface vs. the formation of surfactant in the floodwater prior to injection is examined.     

Conformance control by a microgel in a multi-layered heterogeneous reservoir during CO2 enhanced oil recovery process

Injecting CO₂ into the underground for oil displacement and shortage is an important technique for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). One of the main problems during the CO₂ injection is the channeling plugging. Finding an effective method for the gas channeling plugging is a critical issue in the CO₂ EOR process. In this work, an acid-resistance microgel named dispersed particle gel (DPG) was characterized and its stability was tested in the CO₂ environment. The microgel size selection strategies for the homogeneous and heterogeneous reservoirs were respectively investigated using the single core flooding and three parallel core flooding experiments. Moreover, the comparison of microgel alternate CO₂ (MAC) injection and water alternate CO₂ (WAC) injection in the dual core flooding experiments were presented for the investigation of the role of microgel on the conformance control in CO₂ flooding process. The results have shown that the microgel featured with —NH and C—N groups can keep its morphology after aging 7 days in the CO₂ environment. Where, the small microgel with unobstructed migration and large microgel with good plugging efficiency for the high permeability zone were respectively featured with the higher recovery factor in homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions, which indicate they are preferred used for the oil displacement and conformance control. Compared to WAC injection, MAC injection had a higher incremental recovery factor of 12.4%. It suggests the acid-resistance microgel would be a good candidate for the conformance control during CO₂ flooding process.     

Surfactant flooding characteristics of dodecyl alkyl sulfate for enhanced oil recovery

Surfactant-enhanced oil recovery is a type of enhanced oil recovery (EOR), a method to produce residual oil by injecting surfactant solution into the reservoir. The application of surfactant EOR requires knowledge of the phase behavior for more efficient production of residual oil.In this study, the relationship between dodecyl alkyl sulfate and some specific crude oils was examined through phase behavior test. It was found that the branched surfactant was more effective than the linear surfactant. The system was stable at salinities <3 wt%. On adding a small amount of co-surfactant, the emulsion activity was increased.The gravity drainage flooding test (GDFT) was performed to determine the potential of dodecyl alkyl sulfate to produce residual oil in porous media. It was found that the solution could be flooded at temperatures of 60 °C or higher. In the core flooding test, injecting one pore volume of 2 wt% surfactant solution with 3 wt% salinity produced 26.6% more oil after water flood. With the addition of only 0.01 wt% co-surfactant, oil production increased by 1.6%. Contrary to the phase behavior test, the linear surfactant produced 1.3% more oil than the branched surfactant in the core flooding test.     

三次采油技术的现状及发展趋势

综述三次采油的基本原理,主要的采油类型,如化学法、混相法、生物法等。简要介绍了三次采油的发展前景,聚合物驱、三元复合驱、CO2驱等将是三次采油发展的主要技术。并由此总结三次采油现存技术的不足,提出未来技术可研究的主要方向。     

Bacillus subtilis-based microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) in polymer microfluidic chip

Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) is a tertiary oil recovery process that manipulates the microbial environment inside oil reservoirs to modify the physical/chemical properties of the reservoirs to enhance the oil recovery. Up to now, the detailed MEOR mechanism is still not entirely clear due to the multiple influence factors (e.g., pH, nutrients, temperature, porosity, and permeability) on microbial growth and reproduction, as well as the lack of understanding of microbial's influencing mechanism on the oil recovery process. In this study, a Bacillus subtilis-based MEOR process was conducted in a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-based microfluidic device to mimic the MEOR process in the reservoir. The porous microstructure based on real sandstone slice images was fabricated with laser ablation on a PMMA substrate. Two different MEOR approaches were conducted in the PMMA-based microfluidics devices: the direct injection of displacing reagent (biosurfactant produced by bacteria) into the microfluidic chip for the oil recovery (ex-situ), and the incubation of bacteria solution inside the chip followed with brine flooding (in-situ). The result indicates the ex-situ MEOR process with B. subtilis can reach a recovery rate of 38.56%, while the in-situ MEOR process with B. subtilis reached a recovery rate of 40.27%. The proposed study provides a new tool for understanding the MEOR process, with advantages in visibility and accurate fluid control during the MEOR process.     

Characterizations of surfactant synthesized from Jatropha oil and its application in enhanced oil recovery

Surfactants are frequently used in chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) as it reduces the interfacial tension (IFT) to an ultra‐low value and also alter the wettability of oil‐wet rock, which are important mechanisms for EOR. However, most of the commercial surfactants used in chemical EOR are very expensive. In view of that an attempt has been made to synthesis an anionic surfactant from non‐edible Jatropha oil for its application in EOR. Synthesized surfactant was characterized by FTIR, NMR, dynamic light scattering, thermogravimeter analyser, FESEM, and EDX analysis. Thermal degradability study of the surfactant shows no significant loss till the conventional reservoir temperature. The ability of the surfactant for its use in chemical EOR has been tested by measuring its physicochemical properties, viz., reduction of surface tension, IFT and wettability alteration. The surfactant solution shows a surface tension value of 31.6 mN/m at its critical micelle concentration (CMC). An ultra‐low IFT of 0.0917 mN/m is obtained at CMC of surfactant solution, which is further reduced to 0.00108 mN/m at optimum salinity. The synthesized surfactant alters the oil‐wet quartz surface to water‐wet which favors enhanced recovery of oil. Flooding experiments were conducted with surfactant slugs with different concentrations. Encouraging results with additional recovery more than 25% of original oil in place above the conventional water flooding have been observed. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 2731–2741, 2017     

Rheology and polymer flooding characteristics of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide for enhanced heavy oil recovery

Polymer flooding characteristics of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) solution with the addition of NaOH were examined in homogeneous glass‐bead packs. The heavy oil recovery in unconsolidated sandstone formations by applying the alkali‐polymer flooding was observed. Experimental results showed that HPAM solution was sensitive to temperature, salinity, and alkali, finding that alkali‐polymer solutions are more effective in improving viscosity than conventional polymer solutions. The solution of 0.5 wt % NaOH mixed with 1500 ppm HPAM (12 mol % hydrolysis degree) was found to be the optimal choice, which gives rise to the highest viscosity on the rheological characterization. Flood tests using the alkali‐polymer solution showed an increase in oil recovery by 30% over water‐flooding when the water‐cut reached 95%, indicating that alkali‐polymer could be more effective in improving sweep efficiency than polymer flood. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Polymers for enhanced oil recovery: A paradigm for structure–property relationship in aqueous solution

Recent developments in the field of water-soluble polymers aimed at enhancing the aqueous solution viscosity are reviewed. Classic and novel associating water-soluble polymers for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications are discussed along with their limitations. Particular emphasis is placed on the structure–property correlations and the synthetic methods. The observed rheological properties are conceptually linked to the polymer chemical structure (1) and topology (2). In addition, the influence of external parameters, e.g. temperature, pH, salt, and surfactant, on the rheological behavior is reviewed. Progress booked in deeper understanding of the structure–property relationship is thoroughly discussed. Furthermore, a critical overview of the synthetic methods as well as of the solution properties of these polymers is provided. In this respect the influence of “internal” (i.e. chemical structure) and “external” (vide supra) factors on these properties provide a conceptual toolbox for the rationalization of the response of water-soluble polymers to external stimuli. In turn, such rationalization constitutes the basis for the design of new polymeric structures for EOR applications.     

The effect of mixed surfactants on enhancing oil recovery

Micelles composed of mixed surfactants with different structures (mixed micelles) are of great theoretical and industrial interest. This work pertains tomaximizing interfacial tension (IFT) reduction via surfactant pairs. In this respect, four types of fatty acid amides based on lauric, myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids were blended with dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid at a molar ratio of 4∶1 and designated as A₁, A₂, A₃, and A₄, respectively. The IFT was measured for each blend at different concentrations using Badri crude oil. The most potent formula (A₄) was evaluated for using in enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The IFT was tested in the presence of different electrolyte concentrations with different crude oils at different temperatures. Finally several runs were devoted to study the displacement of Badri crude oil by A₄ surfactant solution using different slug sizes of 10, 20, and 40% of pore volume (PV). The study reveled that Badri crude oil gave ultra-low IFT at lowest surfactant concentration and 0.5% of NaCl. The recovery factor at a slug size of 20% PV was 83% of original oil in place compared with 59% in case of conventional water flood.     

SHY-206新型驱油剂提高原油采收率研究

针对陕北油田低渗、超低渗地质条件,采用不稳定实验法,研究了SHY-206新型驱油剂注入时机、质量分数以及注入体积倍数与提高原油采收率的关系。结果表明,SHY-206新型驱油剂能够较大幅度提高原油采收率,随着质量分数和注入体积倍数的增加,采收率提高值增加,且注入时间越早,采收率增加值越高。     

为强化石油回采捕集CO2的全周期评估

The development and deployment of Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage （CCS） technology is a cornerstone of the Norwegian government＇s climate strategy. A number of projects are currently evaluated/planned along the Norwegian West Coast, one at Tjeldbergodden. COe from this project will be utilized in part for enhanced oil recovery in the Halten oil field, in the Norwegian Sea. We study a potential design of such a system. A combined cycle power plant with a gross power output of 832 MW is combined with CO2 capture plant based on a post-combustion capture using amines as a solvent. The captured CO2 is used for enhanced oil recovery （EOR）. We employ a hybrid life-cycle assessment （LCA） method to assess the environmental impacts of the system. The study focuses on the modifications and operations of the platform during EOR. We allocate the impacts connected to the capture of CO2 to electricity production, and the impacts connected to the transport and storage of CO2 to the oil produced. Our study shows a substantial reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions from power production by 80% to 75 g·（kW·h）^-1. It also indicates a reduction of the emissions associated with oil production per unit oil produced, mostly due to the increased oil production. Reductions are especially significant if the additional power demand due to EOR leads to power supply from the land.     

功能高分子的增粘与乳化性能研究

用胶束聚合法将丙烯酰胺、丙烯酸与自制两亲功能单体进行共聚,合成了三元共聚物,考察了其流变学性质及乳化性能,并通过荧光光谱、扫描电子显微镜对两种功能高分子体系的聚集体结构和溶液中的分子聚集行为进行了研究,并对相应机理进行了分析探讨。研究结果发现,45℃下1500 mg/L的自制功能高分子在矿化度为4 756 mg/L的模拟水溶液中,粘度仍可以达到200 mPa.s。另外,自制功能高分子对模拟水与原油的混合体系具有很强的乳化能力。     

新型弱碱表面活性剂在三次采油中的应用

以α-烯烃为初始原料,经过烷基化,再经磺化、中和研制出了组分相对单一、结构合理的新型弱碱烷基苯磺酸盐表面活性剂。室内评价结果表明,该表面活性剂具有良好的界面活性,配制的复合体系在较宽的表面活性剂浓度和碱浓度范围可与原油形成10^-3mN／m数量级的超低界面张力。同时,该表面活性剂对大庆油田不同区块、不同油层的油水条件表现出了很强的适应性。另外,由于表面活性剂组成较为单一,可大大降低表面活性剂在地层中因吸附滞留而产生的色谱分离效应。室内天然岩心驱油实验表明,三元复合体系平均驱油效率可比水驱提高约20％。所开展的小井距三元复合驱矿场试验,取得了比水驱提高采收率24．66％的显著效果,为三元复合驱技术在大庆油田的工业化推广,特别是在二类油层的应用奠定了坚实基础。     

Enhanced heavy oil recovery through interfacial instability: A study of chemical flooding for Brintnell heavy oil

This study is aimed at developing an alkaline/surfactant-enhanced oil recovery process for heavy oil reservoirs with oil viscosities ranging from 1000 to 10,000 mPa s, through the mechanism of interfacial instability. Instead of the oil viscosity being reduced, as in thermal and solvent/gas injection processes, oil is dispersed into and transported through the water phase to production wells.Extensive emulsification tests and oil/water interfacial tension measurements were conducted to screen alkali and surfactant for the oil and the brine samples collected from Brintnell reservoir. The heavy oil/water interfacial tension could be reduced to about 7 × 10⁻² dyn/cm with the addition of a mixture of Na₂CO₃ and NaOH in the formation brine without evident dynamic effect. The oil/water interfacial tension could be further reduced to 1 × 10⁻² dyn/cm when a very low surfactant concentration (0.005-0.03 wt%) was applied to the above alkaline solution. Emulsification tests showed that in situ self-dispersion of the heavy oil into the water phase occurred when a carefully designed chemical solution was applied.A series of 21 flood tests were conducted in sandpacks to evaluate the chemical formulas obtained from screening tests for the oil. Tertiary oil recoveries of about 22-23% IOIP (32-35% ROIP) were obtained for the tests using 0.6 wt% alkaline (weight ratio of Na₂CO₃ to NaOH = 2:1) and 0.045 wt% surfactant solution in the formation brine. The sandpack flood results obtained in this project showed that a synergistic enhancement among the chemicals did occur in the tertiary recovery process through the interfacial instability mechanism.     

泌304区块稠油乳化降粘剂的筛选与评价

针对泌阳凹陷南部陡坡带泌304区块地下原油粘度高的特点,本文通过化学降粘方法,筛选出能够和稠油乳化并形成水包油（O／W）型乳化液的表面活性剂,优选表面活性剂浓度,研究了温度、矿化度、油水比等对乳状液粘度的影响。     

国内外强化采油用表面活性剂研究进展

中国石油对外依存度持续上升,而采收率持续下降。中国剩余石油储量中大部分为高温高盐、低渗透、稠油油藏等难以开采的苛刻油藏。化学驱强化采油技术目前所使用的石油磺酸盐、烷基苯磺酸盐等常规表面活性剂由于活性低、耐盐性差而导致低效甚至无效。综述了新型表面活性剂,如阴-非离子表面活性剂、双子及寡聚表面活性剂、甜菜碱型两性表面活性剂、高分子表面活性剂、烷基糖苷表面活性剂、黏弹性表面活性剂、生物表面活性剂、阴阳离子混合表面活性剂等的研究进展。讨论了国内外强化采油用表面活性剂评价方法的差异。最后,对采油用表面活性剂的发展方向进行了展望。     

Emerging applications of nanomaterials in chemical enhanced oil recovery:Progress and perspective

In enhanced oil recovery, different chemical methods utilization improves hydrocarbon recovery due to their fascinating abilities to alter some critical parameters in porous media, such as mobility control, the interaction between fluid to fluid, and fluid to rock surface. For decades the use of surfactant and polymer flooding has been used as tertiary recovery methods. In the current research, the inclusion of nanomaterials in enhanced oil recovery injection fluids solely or in the presence of other chemicals has got colossal interest. The emphasis of this review is on the applicability of nanofluids in the chemical enhanced oil recovery. The responsible mechanisms are an increment in the viscosity of injection fluid, decrement in oil viscosity, reduction in interfacial and surface tension, and alteration of wettability in the rock formation. In this review, important parameters are presented,which may affect the desired behavior of nanoparticles, and the drawbacks of nanofluid and polymer flooding and the need for a combination of nanoparticles with the polymer are discussed. Due to the lack of literature in defining the mechanism of nanofluid in a reservoir, this paper covers majorly all the previous work done on the application of nanoparticles in chemical enhanced oil recovery at home conditions. Finally, the problems associated with the nano-enhanced oil recovery are outlined, and the research gap is identified, which must be addressed to implement polymeric nanofluids in chemical enhanced oil recovery.     

The marangoni effect and enhanced oil recovery Part 1. Porous media studies

The use of partitionable solutes, e.g., aliphatic alcohols, to enhance the recovery of trapped oil in reservoir rock, has been simulated using a ballotini-packed column initially flooded with kerosene, and subsequently lowered to an irreducible value by a water drive. Introduction of a “slug” of an alcohol effected an increased recovery, with n-propanol and sec-butanol giving the highest yields. Previous workers attributed such increased recovery to the formation of a “soluble front”, in which both oil and connate water are completely dissolved. However, we obtained similar recoveries using slugs with initial compositions lying on the miscibility boundary, which could not form soluble fronts. It was therefore concluded that Marangoni-induced oscillation of the trapped drops is the more likely explanation of the enhanced recovery.     

Application of microbial enhanced oil recovery technology in water‐based bitumen extraction from weathered oil sands

When using the water‐based extraction processes (WBEPs) to recover bitumen from the weathered oil sands, very low bitumen recovery arisen from the poor liberation of bitumen from sand grains is always obtained. Application of microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) technology in WBEPs to solve the poor processability of the weathered ore was proposed. It was found that processability of the microbial‐treated weathered ore was greatly improved. The improved processability was attributed to the biosurfactants production in the culture solution, alteration of the solids wettability, degradation of the asphaltene component, and the decrease of the bitumen viscosity, which collectively contributed to the bitumen liberation from the surface of sand grains. Although it still has many issues to be solved for an industrial application of the MEOR technology in oil sands separation, it is believed that the findings in this work promote the solution to the poor processability of the weathered ore. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 2985–2993, 2014