Tests show organic clay stabilizers prevent permeability loss

Journal Article · Mon Sep 12 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Oil and Gas Journal; (United States)

OSTI ID:7007261

Behenna, R ^[1]

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1. Halliburton Energy Services, Duncan, OK (United States)

Water sensitivity of sandstones can result in rapid and severe permeability impairment if freshwater displaces saline connate water from pore spaces of formation rock. Reduced permeability can decrease the production potential of a well. Laboratory test on sandstone cores show that organic clay stabilizers (OCS) are as effective at preventing permeability reduction from freshwater exposure as commonly used potassium chloride (KCl). Although organic clay stabilizers are widely used, only limited laboratory testing has confirmed their effectiveness at preventing permeability reduction attributable to a formation's water sensitivity. Existing test results on one class of OCS indicated satisfactory performance as a KCl replacement; however, the test procedure included only short cores and the simulated brine used for testing was sodium chloride (NaCl) at 5 % concentration. The recent work included a series of short-core and long-core laboratory tests made at various salinity levels and OCS concentrations. The OCS tested is a high-concentration, non-surface active, ammonium salt in an aqueous fluid.

• OSTI ID: 7007261
• Journal Information: Oil and Gas Journal; (United States), Vol. 92:37; ISSN 0030-1388
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS TESTING
CLAYS
SANDSTONES
PERMEABILITY
BRINES
DRILL CORES
FORMATION DAMAGE
MITIGATION
POTASSIUM CHLORIDES
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
TESTING
580000* - Geosciences