Experimental investigation of oil recovery during water imbibition

Capillary imbibition and gravity are the main forces acting in fractured reservoirs. The cores used in the laboratory are usually short while experimental investigation of the gravity forces requires long samples. Therefore an experimental study has been carried out on a long core with the length of 116 cm surrounded with a simulated fracture. Kerosene and a synthetic oil with a density very close to brine have been chosen in order to distinguish the capillary and gravity effects during the water oil displacement. After doing many carefully conducted tests at different rates, it is clear that the process is significantly influenced by gravity. The second part of the study involved experiments on the long core surrounded with a simulated fracture where the flow processes are dominated by either co-current or counter-current imbibition. We changed the recovery mechanism from co-current to counter-current by changing the boundary conditions from an advancing fracture water level to an immersion-type mechanism. Our co-current and counter-current experiments on a tall block showed that counter-current imbibition has lower recovery than co-current imbibition. A wettability study was done after cutting the core into many pieces and aging the pieces in crude oil. Different wettability states were obtained by applying different aging times. The cores with different wettability index were subjected to immersion-type experiment. The results showed that more water wet conditions gave higher oil recovery.     

Prediction of wettability variation and its impact on flow using pore- to reservoir-scale simulations

We describe a pore- to reservoir-scale investigation of wettability variation and its impact on waterflooding. We use a three-dimensional pore-scale network model of a Berea sandstone to predict relative permeability and capillary pressure hysteresis. We successfully predict experimentally measured relative permeability data for the water-wet case, and demonstrate that the model captures experimentally observed trends in waterflood recovery for mixed-wet media. We then focus upon the effect of variations in initial water saturation associated with capillary rise above the oil–water contact (OWC). This may lead to wettability variations with height because the number of pore-walls which may be rendered oil-wet during primary drainage, increases as the oil saturation increases. We investigate empirical hysteresis models in which scanning curves are used to connect bounding drainage and waterflood curves for a given initial water saturation, and find that if wettability varies with initial water saturation, then the scanning water relative permeability curves predicted by the empirical model are significantly higher than those predicted by the network model. We then use a conventional simulator, in conjunction with the relative permeability curves obtained from the network and empirical models, to investigate the reservoir-scale impact of wettability variations on waterflooding. If the wettability varies with height above the OWC, we find that using the network model to generate scanning relative permeability curves yields a significantly higher recovery than using empirical models or assuming that the reservoir is uniformly oil-wet or water-wet. This is because the scanning water curves are generally low (characteristic of water-wet media), yet the residual oil saturation is also low (characteristic of oil-wet media). Our aim is to demonstrate that network models of real rocks may be used as a tool to predict wettability variations and their impact on field-scale flow.     

无机盐与沥青质的协同作用对油藏润湿性的影响

选用两种原油沥青质样品,对沥青质在岩石孔隙表面吸附所引起的润湿性改变进行了实验研究。测定结果表明,岩样润湿性改变的程度主要与沥青质的来源和岩样所含盐水的组成有关。盐水中无机阳离子的类型对沥青质所引起的油藏岩石润湿性改变有十分重要的作用。在浓度相同的情况下,阳离子价数越高,对润湿性的影响越大。盐水中的无机阴离子对沥青质引起的润湿性改变影响很小。在油气开采过程中,地层水和注入水的离子组成,特别是所含阳离子的类型,是影响油藏岩石润湿状态的一个不可忽视的因素。     

The effect of wettability heterogeneity on capillary pressure and relative permeability

The effect of wettability on fluid flow properties in porous media has been extensively studied, and is still a subject of highly active investigation. Most of the work has focused on cores of homogeneous wettability. Little attention has been paid to wettability heterogeneity effects at the core or pore scale. In a previous paper, we reported on a series of centrifuge experiments performed to study the effect of wettability heterogeneity on capillary pressure. An experimental technique, named cyclic aging, was developed to create regions of different wetting in the same core sample. In this paper, the work is extended to study the effect of wettability heterogeneity on both capillary pressure and relative permeability curves using centrifuge, continuous injection and steady state techniques.The experimental procedure consists of three steps: (1) the core plug is fully saturated with brine and subsequently a drainage experiment is performed targeting an initial oil saturation S_oi, (2) after aging, oil is displaced by water to residual oil saturation S_or, and (3) oil is injected targeting higher initial oil saturation. In the secondary drainage experiment (step 3), oil first displaces water from the pores exposed to crude oil in primary drainage (step 1) and then enters fresh pores not exposed to crude oil before.In our previous study, it was found that wettability heterogeneity caused a step change in capillary pressure which correlated very well with the saturation at which wettability contrast was expected. However, the height of the step could not be explained by wettability contrast and/or water trapping alone. An experimental artifact caused by the centrifuge technique made the step higher than expected. The experimental artifact was the result of the nonuniform saturation profile developed across the core at the end of the centrifuge experiment. In this study, new techniques were used which resulted in a uniform saturation profile along the core sample during the primary drainage experiment. It was found that in this case the step in the capillary pressure is determined by wettability contrast and water trapping. It was also found that the relative permeability curve changes its characteristics when oil accesses the pores not previously exposed to crude oil.The results of this study show that (1) only the part of the pore space exposed to crude oil undergoes wettability changes on both core scale and pore scale, and (2) ignoring wettability heterogeneity can lead to large errors in the estimated two phase flow functions with important consequences with respect to fluid flow in porous media.     

Effect of scale and corrosion inhibitors on well productivity in reservoirs containing asphaltenes

During oil production from several wells in Arabian Gulf area, significant productivity decline was noticed. One of the reasons behind the productivity decline might be asphaltene precipitation. Production data of the particular wells were collected and analyzed. It was found that many of these wells were injected with scale and corrosion inhibitors in downhole and surface equipment. Thus, it was desired to investigate the potential of formation damage due to asphaltene in the presence of scale and corrosion inhibitors as field chemicals. The effect of asphaltenes on the wettability, surface, and interfacial tensions were measured in the presence of scale and corrosion inhibitors. It was observed that the scale inhibitor did not indicate any alteration of the wettability, while the presence of corrosion inhibitor indicates high potential for wettability change into oil-wet conditions especially in the presence of asphaltenic oil. Similar results were obtained from the measurements of surface and interfacial tensions, in which corrosion inhibitors showed a significant decrease in surface and interfacial tensions. To assess the potential of asphaltene precipitation in the presence of both inhibitors and to study the effect of asphaltenes on the oil productivity, flooding experiments were carried out and oil/water relative permeability was determined.The results of flooding displacements showed that the presence of scale inhibitors indicates no effect on the oil/water relative permeability even in the presence of asphaltenes, while a significant decrease in oil relative permeability associated with an increase of residual oil saturation was observed in the presence of corrosion inhibitors.Mixture of scale and corrosion inhibitors showed no effect on relative permeability curves.     

鄂尔多斯盆地储集层物性断裂对超低渗油气藏的控制作用

在鄂尔多斯盆地的野外地质调查和钻井岩心观察中，发现砂岩中发育大量的雁行状和X共轭状节理、裂缝、微裂缝以及局部断裂，以“超稳定地块”为前提的传统构造学说无法对此做出合理的解释。研究发现，基底断裂及后期构造活动衍生的一系列剪切变形所产生的储集层物性断裂对油气的控制不容忽视。鄂尔多斯盆地中，所谓“超低渗透”是指基质渗透率，不能代表地层总渗透率。储集层中剪切、挤压等构造应力产生的节理以及沿这些微破裂派生的溶蚀孔缝形成良好物性区带才是油气相对高产的主要原因。因此，在寻找勘探靶区时应重视构造因素对成岩作用、酸性流体输导、次生溶孔形成等的控制作用。图5参9     

Adsorption of surfactants on minerals for wettability control in improved oil recovery processes

Chemical-flooding schemes for recovering residual oil have been in general less than satisfactory due to loss of chemicals by adsorption on reservoir rocks, precipitation, and resultant changes in rock wettability. Adsorption and wettability changes are determined mainly by the chemical structure and mix of the surfactants, surface properties of the rock, composition of the oil and reservoir fluids, nature of the polymers added and solution conditions such as salinity, pH and temperature. The mineralogical composition of reservoir rocks plays an important role in determining interactions between reservoir minerals and externally added reagents (surfactants/polymers) and their effects on solid–liquid interfacial properties such as surface charge and wettability. Some of the reservoir minerals can be sparingly soluble causing precipitation and changes in wettabilty as well as drastic depletion of surfactants/polymers.Most importantly, the effect of surfactants on wettability depends not only how much is adsorbed but also on how they adsorb. A water wetted rock surface that is beneficial for displacement of oil can be obtained by manipulating the orientation of the adsorbed layers. New surfactants capable of tolerating harsh conditions created by extremes of pH, temperature or inorganics and capable of interacting favorably with inorganics and polymers are promising for enhanced oil recovery. In this regard, such surfactants as sugar based ones and pyrrolidones are attracting attention, as they are also biodegradable. In many cases, mixed surfactants perform much better than single surfactants due to synergetic effects and ability to alleviate precipitation. Also, addition of inorganics such as silicates, phosphates and carbonates and polymers such as lignins can be used to control the adsorption and the wettability. In this paper, use of specialty surfactants and their mixtures is discussed along with the mechanisms involved.     

表面活性剂对特低渗油藏渗吸驱油的影响

为了促进延长油田化学渗吸驱油提高采收率的目的,以延长HZP区块长6油藏为研究对象,针对水驱波及范围小,水驱动用程度低的问题,运用室内实验测试及分析的方法,分析不同润湿性和界面张力渗吸体系的渗吸驱油效率和规律。结果表明,润湿性不同的岩心渗吸驱油速度和效率由强到弱依次为亲水性、中性、亲油性,注入水体系中,原油在亲水岩心中的粘附功最小,仅有2.464 5×10^-3 J/m²,在亲油岩心中的粘附功达到16.743 7×10^-3 J/m²,是亲水岩心的6.8倍,不同表面活性剂均可以使粘附功不同程度的降低。十六烷基磺酸钠溶液渗吸效率最高,亲水岩心中渗吸效率达到25.2%,中性润湿岩心中渗吸效率为20%,均高于注入水渗吸驱油效率。矿场应用后油井综合含水下降20个百分点。对低渗油藏化学渗吸提高采收率具有重要意义。     

渗吸效应对裂缝性低渗砾岩油藏开发的影响——以玛湖乌尔禾组储层为例

玛湖砾岩低渗储层的开发依赖裂缝，裂缝-基质间的渗吸效应对开发效果具有重要影响，但目前相关研究还极其薄弱。借助核磁共振技术研究了玛湖乌尔禾组砾岩的渗吸效应孔隙动用特征，并对其裂缝-基质间渗吸规律进行了量化表征，进一步将表征方程考虑到双孔、双渗模型中，在油藏尺度对比了渗吸效应对玛湖低渗砾岩油藏水平井开发的影响。研究发现，玛湖乌尔禾组砾岩岩心主要为中小孔隙（T₂<100 ms），渗吸效应平均采收率可达32.43%，其中小孔隙（T₂<10 ms）平均采收率为31.27%，中孔隙（10 < T₂ < 100 ms）平均采收率为37.11%，渗吸规律较好，符合改进后的MA指数模型。依据实验结果改进双孔、双渗模型后，模拟水平井开发5 a后发现，玛湖低渗砾岩油藏考虑渗吸效应时裂缝采收率下降了24.3%，基质采收率提高了4.6%，平均采收率提高了2.0%。该研究对后期制定合理的提采措施具有指导意义。     

CO2驱油过程中孔喉结构对储层岩石物性变化的影响

注CO2提高储层原油采收率过程中,储层中流体的渗流和分布受岩石孔喉结构控制,且注入的CO2会引发原油中的沥青质沉淀,导致储层渗透率下降并改变储层的润湿性.通过在4块渗透率相似但孔喉结构不同的岩心上进行的混相和非混相的CO2驱油实验研究了 CO2驱油过程中岩石孔喉结构对储层岩石物性变化的影响.基于岩石孔径分布和压汞曲线,...     

致密油藏孔喉分布特征对渗吸驱油规律的影响

自发渗吸是致密油藏中一种重要开发机理,构建准确的渗吸驱油数学模型对明确致密油藏渗吸驱油规律具有重要意义.基于毛管束模型,考虑束缚水和残余油饱和度,利用二维高斯分布函数拟合从高压压汞测量得到的致密砂岩孔喉分布,构建岩心尺度致密砂岩基质渗吸驱油数学模型,并通过致密砂岩渗吸实验对数学模型进行验证,开展渗吸规律影响因素分析,明...     

低渗透油藏岩石物性对渗流的影响分析

正确认识低渗透油藏的非线性达西渗流规律,有助于更为合理、有效地开发低渗透油藏。通过对低渗透油藏主要粘土矿物与水相互作用的实验分析及填砂管渗流实验对比,揭示了非线性达西渗流的起因,为深入研究低渗透油藏渗流规律奠定了一定的实验基础。实验结果表明,粘土矿物的膨胀与分散不仅使渗流的有效孔隙体积减小,而且可形成高粘溶胶,这是引起油藏非线性渗流的主要原因之一。     

鄂尔多斯盆地北部成岩作用对储集性的影响

通过大量常规薄片及铸体薄片的分析鉴定,结合扫描电镜、阴极发光和黏土矿物 X 射线衍射分析, 对鄂尔多斯盆地北部盒 8 段储层的成岩作用及影响进行了研究。 结果表明：受成岩物质和成岩能量两大 因素影响,盆地北部东区和西区孔隙类型有一定差异,西区以粒间溶孔和岩屑溶孔为主,东区则以岩屑溶 孔和晶间孔为主;研究区储集层可划分为 4 种成岩相类型,其中硅质胶结+ 钙质强溶蚀相是最有利的成岩 相类型;成岩作用最终影响储集性能,主要表现为胶结作用导致储层致密,溶蚀作用改善储层储集性。 深 入研究储层成岩作用可为优选天然气相对富集区,促进盆地北部气藏的有效勘探开发提供理论依据。     

注水过程中油层结垢对储层物性的影响

油层结垢是大庆外围油田注水开发过程中地层伤害的原因之一,该文探讨了油层结垢的机理以及垢物质类型;利用核磁共振技术研究了岩心孔隙内结垢前后孔隙度、孔隙结构的变化规律,同时,通过岩心流动实验,研究了油层内结垢对地层的伤害程度.结果表明,油层结垢使岩心大孔隙数量减少,小孔隙数量增加,尽管油层内结垢程度较弱,但是对低渗透储层的伤害却不容忽视.     

鄂尔多斯盆地镇北地区长8油层组自生绿泥石对储层物性的影响

自生绿泥石是砂岩储层中常见的成岩矿物,对储层物性具有重要影响。通过普通薄片、铸体薄片及扫描电镜观察,对鄂尔多斯盆地镇北地区长8油层组砂岩储层中自生绿泥石的形成机制及其对储层物性的影响进行了深入研究。研究表明:①该区自生绿泥石主要以黏土膜和玫瑰花状2种形式产出,黏土膜内层的颗粒黏土包膜自同沉积时期开始形成,转变为自生绿泥石后,黏土膜外层的孔隙衬里绿泥石于中成岩期呈叶状或针状垂直于内层包膜向孔隙方向生长;玫瑰花状绿泥石于晚成岩期在较大孔隙内形成。②自生绿泥石对储层物性的影响表现在2个方面:一方面自生绿泥石可通过改变孔隙微区环境及占据颗粒表面空间,阻止自生石英在碎屑石英表面成核来抑制石英次生加大,从而保存原生孔隙;另一方面自生绿泥石在保存原生孔隙的同时,占据了喉道空间,使砂岩储层的渗透性降低,其含量与渗透率呈负相关性。     

松辽盆地营城组三段火山岩储层的岩石物理特性

本文利用松辽盆地SS2-1井区11口井的测井解释成果以及岩心测试和录井资料,对营城组三段火山岩储层的岩石物理特性进行了较为详细的研究。结果表明:利用地震反射特性的差异性可以识别火山岩岩体,但是要区分不同的火山岩岩性具有很大的困难和不确定性;火山岩储层的纵波阻抗和密度与孔隙度具有良好的统计回归关系,利用地震数据预测孔隙度是切实可行的,但是预测渗透率比较困难;气层、水层、干层的弹性特性具有明显差异,合理利用地震资料区分气层、水层与干层是可行的,但是准确估算含气饱和度十分困难。     

致密油充注过程中储层润湿性变化对含油性影响——以川中侏罗系致密油为例

以四川盆地川中侏罗系致密油储层岩心样品为例,开展了致密油微观充注物理模拟实验。实验模型采用砂岩薄片模型(尺寸为2.5 cm×2.5 cm,厚度约0.6 mm),将实验用油注入模型引槽中,压力由小到大逐步增加至每个模型出口端只出油不出水为止,观测渗流特征并计算含油饱和度。实验结果显示,充注前样品束缚水饱和度与充注后含油饱和度总和大于100%,基于核磁共振法对储层束缚水等流体饱和度与储层润湿性的分析,提出了充注前后储层润湿性的改变(水润湿转变为油润湿)使得最终含油饱和度高于被驱替的动水饱和度。致密油运聚过程中储层润湿性改变抵消了致密油储层高束缚水饱和度对致密油含油性的抑制作用,利于致密油运聚,是致密油成藏含油饱和度提高的重要原因。     

阿尔凹陷凝灰质含量对渗透率影响分析

以二连盆地阿尔凹陷低孔低渗储层为研究对象,在分析该区块地质特征、储层特征的基础上,进一步研究了凝灰质含量对储层渗透率的影响,从而得出凝灰质含量高是致使该区块渗透率低的主要原因,为进一步提高阿尔凹陷地区的储层综合评价,建立精细的渗透率解释模型奠定了基础。     

致密油储层地应力特征及其对物性的影响——以鄂尔多斯盆地上三叠统延长组为例

致密储层物性及流体赋存状态均受现今地应力的影响。以往对于鄂尔多斯盆地中西部地区上三叠统延长组的岩石力学性质及地应力研究较少,制约了致密油气的高效勘探、开发。以鄂尔多斯盆地吴起、志丹及定边地区为例,利用大量薄片、物性、岩石力学、声学、全波列阵列声波测试及压裂测试资料,对3个地区长6—长8油层组的岩石力学性质、地应力特征及其对储层物性的影响进行了评价。利用测井方法识别出3种地应力状态：吴起地区长6—长8的变化不大,其现今的应力活动性较弱;志丹地区的水平应力活动性深层要大于浅层,较强的水平应力强度主要集中在长7₃及长8;定边地区的水平应力活动性从长6到长8整体较强,浅层的水平应力强度要略强于深层。研究区水平应力梯度有从西北向东南逐渐递增的趋势;水平主应力差的增加不是一定使岩石减孔,其造成的应力平面非均质性会使岩石孔隙度变化出现3种不同的路径;而水平主应力差的增加会造成岩石渗透率的降低,但影响并不显著。