Mobilization of colloidal particles by low-frequency dynamic stress stimulation
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
Naturally occurring seismic events and artificially generated low-frequency (1 to 500 Hertz) elastic waves have been observed to alter the production rates of oil and water wells, sometimes increasing and sometimes decreasing production, and to influence the turbidity of surface and well water. The decreases in production are of particular concern - especially when artificially generated elastic waves are applied as a method for enhanced oil recovery. The exact conditions that result in a decrease in production remain unknown. While the underlying environment is certainly complex, the observed increase in water well turbidity after natural seismic events suggests the existence of a mechanism that can affect both the subsurface flow paths and mobilization of in-situ colloidal particles. This paper explores the macroscopic and microscopic effects of low-frequency dynamic stress stimulations on the release of colloidal particles from an analog core representing an infinitesimal section along the propagation paths of an elastic wave. Experiments on a column packed with 1-mm borosilicate beads and loaded with polystyrene microspheres demonstrate that axial mechanical stress oscillations enhance the mobilization of captured microspheres. Increasing the amplitude of the oscillations increases the number of microspheres released and can also result in cyclical spikes in effluent microsphere concentration during stimulation. Under a prolonged period of stimulation, the cyclical effluent spikes coincided with fluctuations in the column pressure data, and continue at a diminished level after stimulation. This behavior can be attributed to rearrangements of the beads in the column, resulting in possible changes to the void space and/or tortuosity of the packing. Optical microscopy observations of the beads during low frequency oscillations reveal that individual beads rotate, thereby rubbing against each other and scraping away portions of the adsorbed microspheres. These results support the theory that mechanical interactions between porous matrix grains are important mechanisms in flow path alteration and the mobilization of naturally occurring colloidal particles during elastic wave stimulation. These results also point to both continuous and discrete, en masse releases of colloidal particles, perhaps due to circulation cells within the packing material.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- OSTI ID:
- 971662
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-09-06497; LA-UR-09-6497; LANGD5; TRN: US201004%%245
- Journal Information:
- Langmuir, Journal Name: Langmuir; ISSN 0743-7463
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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