Migration of alkaline pulses in reservoir sands
Establishing the amount of alkali loss by rock reactions is critical because successful application of most alkaline flooding techniques requires that hydroxide propagate through a large portion of the reservoir. This paper presents a mathematical analysis of the chromatographic movement of alkaline pulses when they are scaled to reservoir flow rates and distances. Using only this analysis and laboratory data, the authors show how to estimate the distance an alkaline pulse traverses under field conditions before its concentration diminishes to ineffective levels. Laboratory core tests and X-ray analyses identify the various mineral reactions and their rates. For clayey sands a fast, reversible, sodium/hydrogen ion exchange retards alkali concentration velocities. Fine silica and quartz are suggested as important dissolving minerals, with slower-dissolving clays and clay minerals releasing soluble aluminum, which may redeposit with soluble silica as new aluminosilicate minerals. While new mineral formation influences the aqueous aluminum and silica concentrations, hydroxide consumption appears to be controlled mainly by the dissolution reaction. Firstorder kinetics most closely represent the dissolution behavior; lumped-parameter rate constants are reported for Huntington Beach and Wilmington sands and for a Berea sandstone.
- Research Organization:
- Colorado School of Mines
- OSTI ID:
- 5804392
- Journal Information:
- SPEJ, Soc. Pet. Eng. J.; (United States), Journal Name: SPEJ, Soc. Pet. Eng. J.; (United States) Vol. 22:6; ISSN SSPJD
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Transport of electrolytes in underground porous media
Computed solid phases limiting the concentration of dissolved constituents in basalt aquifers of the Columbia Plateau in eastern Washington. Geochemical modeling and nuclide/rock/groundwater interaction studies
Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALKALI METALS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM SILICATES
CAUSTIC FLOODING
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
CLAYS
DATA
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUID INJECTION
FLUID MECHANICS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HYDRODYNAMICS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
INFORMATION
ION EXCHANGE
KINETICS
LOSSES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
METALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINERALIZATION
MINERALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OIL FIELDS
OIL WELLS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PULSES
QUARTZ
REACTION KINETICS
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS
SAND
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICA
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SODIUM
WATERFLOODING
WELLS