CO2 Microbubble Flooding with Multi-Layer Porous Plate Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing carbon dioxide flooding methods face challenges such as efficient injection difficulty, poor flooding effect, viscous fingering, fluid channeling, and reservoir heterogeneity due to the limitations of single-layer sheet-like ceramic membranes, which generate microbubbles in a single direction, are difficult to detach, and cannot regulate bubble size.
Innovation Solution
A multi-layer annulus columnar metal powder-sintered porous plate apparatus is used to generate CO2 microbubbles, comprising an inner, middle, and outer layer porous plates with specific microchannel diameters, generating microbubbles in situ through a pressure difference, and utilizing additives like xanthan gum and sodium dodecyl sulfate to enhance stability and distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a single-layer sheet-like ceramic membrane is used to generate microbubbles, then the microbubbles have uniform size and good stability, but the microbubbles are generated in a single direction with low sweep efficiency and the membrane is difficult to detach and clean
Solution Approach 1:
The single-layer ceramic membrane is divided into multiple layers with different pore sizes. The inner layer has larger pores (3-10 μm) for structural support, the middle layer has medium pores (1-3 μm), and the outer layer has smallest pores (0.1-1 μm) for fine bubble generation. This segmentation allows microbubbles to be generated in multiple directions simultaneously, improving sweep efficiency while maintaining uniform size distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane structure transitions from a two-dimensional single-layer sheet to a three-dimensional multi-layer annular configuration. The annular shape with radial and axial dimensions enables microbubble generation in multiple directions (radially outward and axially), creating a three-dimensional flooding pattern that dramatically improves sweep efficiency compared to single-direction generation.
2Manufacturing precision
If a single-layer sheet-like ceramic membrane is used, then the microbubbles have fixed size, but the pore size cannot be adjusted to regulate microbubble size
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-layer annular membrane structure provides dynamic adjustability through variable pore sizes across different layers and radial positions. The inner layer pores (3-10 μm), middle layer pores (1-3 μm), and outer layer pores (0.1-1 μm) create a gradient that can adapt to different injection pressures and fluid viscosities, allowing regulation of microbubble size without changing the physical membrane structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the membrane have different pore sizes tailored to specific functions. The inner layer has larger pores for structural integrity and coarser bubble generation, while the outer layer has smallest pores for fine bubble production. This local quality variation allows the system to produce a distribution of bubble sizes appropriate for different zones in the reservoir, improving adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If CO2 is injected directly into the porous medium, then the injection process is simple, but viscous fingering, fluid channeling and reservoir heterogeneity cause poor flooding effect
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-layer annular membrane acts as an intermediary device between the CO2 injection system and the porous reservoir medium. It generates controlled microbubbles that serve as effective blocking agents, preventing viscous fingering and channeling by uniformly distributing the CO2 throughout the reservoir matrix, thereby improving flooding effect while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane itself is a porous material with controlled pore size distribution that generates microbubbles in situ. These microbubbles, being porous and stable, effectively block pore throats in the reservoir, preventing preferential flow paths and viscous fingering, thus improving the flooding effect without complicating the injection process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus increases microbubble generation, improves flooding efficiency, reduces the risk of downhole leakage, enhances sweep range, and facilitates high-quality CO2 storage with improved oil and gas recovery, achieving an 18.7% increase in CO2 dissolution rate and 16.7% increase in crude oil recovery efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
generating microbubbles in situ through a pressure difference
Implementation Method 2
utilizing the porosity of a material... utilizing the good stable usability and durable usability and excellent foaming characteristic of a single-layer sheet-like ceramic membrane
Implementation Method 3
additives like xanthan gum and sodium dodecyl sulfate to enhance stability and distribution
Implementation Method 4
utilize the dissolution of CO2 to change physical characteristics of oil, expand the volume of oil and reduce the viscosity of oil
Data Source
AI summary
A device for CO2 microbubble flooding comprises a microbubble generating device, a stirring and liquid storage device, an injection pump, a gas compressor, a gas-liquid mixer and a pressure stabilizing system, wherein the microbubble generating device adopts an integrally formed multi-layer cylindrical metal powder-sintered porous plate, and the diameters of microchannels on the porous plate are sequentially reduced from inside to outside. A solution containing additives in the storage device is stirred uniformly and then enters into a downhole gas injection base pipe through the gas-liquid mixer to be injected into a stratum, then a carbon dioxide gas compressed by the gas compressor is pumped into the downhole gas injection base pipe through the gas injection pump, and the gas generates microbubbles in situ when passing through the multi-layer porous device under the action of pressure difference.