Reservoir Modification Fluid for Oil-Wet Rock Wettability Alteration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In oil reservoirs where the rock surfaces are wet with oil, the formation of a thin water membrane between rock surfaces is difficult, and crude oil acts as a defoaming agent, accelerating the breakdown of this membrane, which hinders effective crude oil recovery.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the injection of a reservoir modification fluid to alter the rock surfaces from an oil-wetting to a water-wetting, followed by the injection of an overflush fluid to move crude oil towards a production well, and finally, the injection of a foam-stabilizing and foam-forming fluid to enhance crude oil recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a foam is injected into an oil reservoir with oil-wetted rock surfaces, then crude oil recovery is enhanced, but the foam stability is reduced because crude oil acts as a defoaming agent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by first injecting a reservoir modification fluid to change the rock surface wettability from oil-wet to water-wet before injecting the foam. This preliminary modification of the reservoir conditions prevents crude oil from acting as a defoaming agent during subsequent foam injection, thereby maintaining foam stability while enhancing crude oil recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The reservoir modification fluid serves as an intermediary substance that mediates between the foam injection and the oil-wetted rock surfaces. By altering the surface properties of the rock, this intermediary fluid creates favorable conditions for foam stability, enabling the foam to effectively enhance crude oil recovery without being destabilized by crude oil.
2Ease of operation
If a water membrane is formed between rock surfaces for foam stability, then foam formation is enabled, but the membrane breakdown is accelerated by crude oil
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-modifying the rock surface wettability through reservoir modification fluid injection before foam injection. This preliminary change in surface properties ensures that when the water membrane forms during foam generation, it remains stable and is not rapidly breakdown by crude oil, thereby enabling reliable foam formation and maintenance.
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
This method enables effective crude oil recovery even in oil reservoirs with oil-wetted rock surfaces by reforming the rock surfaces to facilitate the formation and stability of a water membrane, thereby improving the efficiency of crude oil extraction.
Implementation Method 1
pressing and injecting, through an injection well into a crude oil-containing reservoir between the injection well and a production well, a reservoir modification fluid that reforms the wettability of the reservoir
Implementation Method 2
pressing and injecting an overflush fluid through the injection well into the reservoir, thereby moving the crude oil contained in the reservoir from a side of the injection well toward a side of the production well
Implementation Method 3
pressing and injecting a foam-stabilizing fluid and a foam-forming fluid through the injection well into the reservoir
Data Source
AI summary
This method for recovering crude oil has a reservoir modification fluid injection step of pressing and injecting, through an injection well into a crude oil-containing reservoir between the injection well and a production well, a reservoir modification fluid that reforms the wettability of the reservoir, a primary crude oil recovery step of pressing and injecting an overflush fluid through the injection well into the reservoir, thereby moving the crude oil contained in the reservoir from a side of the injection well toward a side of the production well, and enabling recovery of the crude oil from the reservoir via the production well, and a secondary crude oil recovery step of pressing and injecting a foam-stabilizing fluid and a foam-forming fluid through the injection well into the reservoir, thereby moving the crude oil contained in the reservoir from the side of the injection well toward the side of the production well, and enabling recovery of the crude oil from the reservoir via the production well.