Laboratory study of nitrogen miscible displacement of light oil

Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5749375

Llave, F M; Hudgins, D; Chung, F T.H.

Systematic slim-tube displacement tests and coreflooding tests were performed to determine displacement mechanisms and the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) for nitrogen with light oils. Emphasis of the study was on the injection of a slug of solution gas before. The effect of slug size and composition on the MMP was also studied. Candidate oils from Alaskan reservoirs (26/degree/ and 48/degree/ API) were also tested for the applicability of nitrogen miscible displacement and the slug injection technique. A series of nitrogen displacement experiments was performed on one of Alaskan oils at varying gas-oil-ratios (GOR) to determine the effect of the intermediate components (C/sub 2/-C/sub 5/) of the oil on the MMP. A correlation for the MMP has also been developed from literature data on pure nitrogen displacement and data obtained from this work. The proposed correlation shows good agreement with the prediction of the MMP of 14 oils tested. More realistic tests for the nitrogen miscible displacement method were performed in a 2-in. diameter, 2-ft long Berea sandstone core to investigate the effects of gravity segregation and mobility ratio on the recovery efficiency. Secondary and tertiary nitrogen injection tests as well as an initial evaluation of foam flooding as an improvement to nitrogen displacement were also performed. 10 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: National Inst. for Petroleum and Energy Research, Bartlesville, OK (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FC22-83FE60149
• OSTI ID: 5749375
• Report Number(s): NIPER-308; ON: DE89000762
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALKANES
CORRELATIONS
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
METHANE
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS