Improvement of CO/sub 2/ flood performance: Fourth annual report, October 1, 1987--September 30, 1988

Technical Report · Sat Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5869651

Heller, J P; Kovarik, F S

In Task Area 1, an oscillating quartz viscometer was developed to measure viscosities of CO/sub 2//hydrocarbon systems over a range of conditions. Viscosity dependency on density, composition, and temperature is examined and the functional form of a modified Lohrenz, Bray, and Clark correlation for CO/sub 2/-oil systems is presented. Also, the effect of free gas on displacement efficiency and that of multiple hydrocarbon phase flow on sweep efficiency are being investigated. With two-dimensional glass micromodels at reservoir conditions, we studied the effects of different scales of microscopic heterogeneity on flow behavior and blocking mechanisms using both in-situ foaming and pregenerated foam. Additionally, the initial formulation of a two-dimensional simulator which models high-pressure gas-foam flow is presented. A simulation of the processes of high-permeability zone blockage with foam, fluid diversion, and increased trapped oil recovery is included. Also, an NMR imaging study on fluid flow through porous media addressing the nonlinear stability analysis of miscible displacements and matrix-fracture fluid transport functions has been initiated. In Task Area 2, work commenced on the non-uniformity of flow which results from rock heterogeneity. Emphasis was placed on the effect of this non-uniformity on displacement efficiency. Measurements were made of the steady-state mobility of foam-like dispersions of dense CO/sub 2/ in surfactant solutions. 114 refs., 138 figs., 21 tabs.

• Research Organization: New Mexico Inst. of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM (USA). New Mexico Petroleum Recovery Research Center
• DOE Contract Number: FC21-84MC21136
• OSTI ID: 5869651
• Report Number(s): DOE/MC/21136-21; ON: DE89000756
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CARBON DIOXIDE INJECTION
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID FLOW
FLUID INJECTION
FOAMS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS SATURATION
HETEROGENEOUS EFFECTS
HYDROCARBONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL SATURATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PHASE STUDIES
PROGRESS REPORT
RECOVERY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
RESERVOIR ROCK
SATURATION
SIMULATION
SURFACTANTS
SWEEP EFFICIENCY
VISCOSITY