Mobilization of waterflood residual oil by miscible fluids
A study was conducted to determine how the residual oil left by a waterflood is mobilized by miscible or low IFT fluids. Crude oils were used in the oil displacement experiments with cores and sandpacks. This was in contrast to the work by most previous investigators who used refined oils in their studies. The residual crude oil was distinguished from injected oils by tagging one or the other with olefins, hydrocarbons which are not present in crude oils but which are easily and quantitatively distinguishable by analytical chromatographic techniques. The results of the study show that crude oil left as residual by a waterflood is more accessible to an injected miscible fluid than a residual refined oil, presumably through crude oil-wetted surfaces of the rock. The results of laboratory core flood displacements of residual or mobile refined oils (decane, soltrol, mineral oil, etc.) are not representative of reservoir formations containing indigenous crude oil. The displacement of residual crude oil by solvent is more efficient than displacement of refined oil by that solvent. Also, the displacement of residual oil by an oil or solvent at favorable mobility ratio occurs as a bank of oil production at high flowing oil saturation, approaching one minus the immobile water saturation.
- Research Organization:
- Union Oil Co. of California
- OSTI ID:
- 6073788
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8409104-
- Journal Information:
- Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States), Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Vol. SPE13216; ISSN SEAPA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Effects of mobile water on multiple-contact miscible gas displacements
Effects of mobile water on multiple contact miscible gas displacements
Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENGINEERING
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESIDUAL PETROLEUM
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SWEEP EFFICIENCY
WATERFLOODING
WELLS