Modified Nano-Graphite Particle Foam Profile Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current foam profile control and flooding systems in oil fields face challenges such as poor stability, especially in high-temperature and high-salt content reservoirs, due to viscosity loss and limited gelation control, leading to inefficient oil recovery and remaining oil left in strata.
Innovation Solution
A modified nano-graphite particle three-phase foam system is developed, comprising a foaming agent, foam stabilizer, and water, with modified nano-graphite particles enhancing foam stability and oil displacement efficiency, and utilizing alkylsulfopropyl betaine or alkylamidopropyl betaine as foaming agents to improve liquid film strength and reduce drainage speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If polymer enhanced foam system is used to improve foam stability, then liquid film thickness is increased and drainage speed is decreased, but viscosity loss is severe and foam stability is limited in medium-high temperature and salt content reservoirs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing polymer with surfactant (0.15%-0.35%) and modified nano-particles (0.05%-0.15%) to achieve foam stability without suffering from polymer viscosity loss in high temperature and salt content environments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite foam system combining surfactant with modified nano-particles (such as nano-silica, nano-clay, or graphite particles) to enhance foam stability through synergistic effects, where the nano-particles provide structural support to liquid films while surfactant reduces interfacial tension
2Stability of the object's composition
If gel enhanced foam system is used to improve foam stability and long-time effectiveness, then viscosity of external phase is increased and liquid film thickness is increased, but gelation time and gel strength are difficult to control and foam stabilization capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the gelation step from the foam generation process, using only surfactant and nano-particles without polymer cross-linking, thereby eliminating the complexity of gelation time and strength control while maintaining foam stability through nano-particle reinforcement of liquid films
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the foam stabilization mechanism from gel-based viscoelastic support to surfactant-nano particle based interfacial tension reduction and liquid film reinforcement, simplifying the system while achieving comparable or superior stability
3Stability of the object's composition
If nano-particle enhanced foam system is used to improve foam stability, then adsorption effect enhances foam stability, but surface properties of nano-particles vary under physical and chemical influences and gravitational differentiation occurs due to high density
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces surfactant as an intermediary between the nano-particles and the gas-liquid interface, where surfactant molecules adsorb onto nano-particle surfaces and provide consistent interfacial activity, shielding the nano-particles from direct exposure to varying physical and chemical conditions that would otherwise alter their surface properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses modified nano-particles with surface modifications that replicate the stabilizing function of larger particles while reducing density effects, creating a scaled-down version that maintains adsorption capabilities without significant gravitational differentiation
4Device complexity
If single liquid phase foam system is used, then system is simple consisting of surfactant and gas, but stability is poor and applicable only to medium-low temperature and salt content reservoirs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite foam system combining surfactant with modified nano-particles (such as nano-silica, nano-clay, or graphite particles) to enhance foam stability through synergistic effects, where the nano-particles provide structural support to liquid films while surfactant reduces interfacial tension
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing polymer with surfactant (0.15%-0.35%) and modified nano-particles (0.05%-0.15%) to achieve foam stability without suffering from polymer viscosity loss in high temperature and salt content environments
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 system achieves improved foam stability, increased oil recovery rates, and effective regulation of high-permeability flow channels, maintaining high injection pressure and enhancing the exploitation of remaining oil in high water-content reservoirs.
Implementation Method 1
Utilizing the adsorption characteristic of modified nano-graphite particles, to improves the stability of the foams by improving the strength of the liquid films and decreasing the drainage speed of the liquid films
Implementation Method 2
reduction ability of oil-water interfacial tension
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a modified nano-graphite particle three-phase foam profile control and flooding system, which comprises a liquid phase and a gas phase, wherein the liquid phase comprises 0.15%-0.35% foaming agent, 0.04-0.1% foam stabilizer, and water that accounts for the remaining content, the sum of weight percentages of above components is 100%; a gas-liquid ratio of the gas phase to the liquid phase is (1-3):1. The foaming agent is selected from one of alkylsulfopropyl betaine and alkylamidopropyl betaine or a combination of them. The foam stabilizer is modified nano-graphite particles in 80-150 nm particle diameter. The present invention further provides a preparation method of the modified nano-graphite particle and a preparation method of the three-phase foam profile control and flooding system. The nano-graphite particle three-phase foam profile control and flooding system provided in the present invention can greatly improve the stability of generated foams, has excellent fluidity control capability, is low in cost, simple to prepare, and convenient for large-scale field construction.