Thermodynamic modeling of the temperature impact on low-salinity waterflooding performance in sandstones

Mansi, Mohamed; Mehana, Mohamed; Fahes, Mashhad; Viswanathan, Hari

doi:10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.124207

Title: Thermodynamic modeling of the temperature impact on low-salinity waterflooding performance in sandstones

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Abstract

Low-salinity waterflooding has emerged as an innovative technique to improve oil recovery. Extensive research has been devoted to providing a better understanding of the mechanisms involved and to optimize its performance. Among those mechanisms, multi-component ion exchange mechanism explains the coordination of surface complexes in a way that highlights the essence of low-salinity waterflooding. However, the impact of temperature on low-salinity waterflooding is still poorly understood. We used surface complexation modeling to study both the oil/brine and mineral/brine interfaces up to a temperature of 150 °C. Given the heterogeneity of the oil interface, we studied three oil interfaces with varying total base number to total acid number ratios. It was determined that temperature is a critical factor in estimating the performance of low-salinity waterflooding. While temperature reduces the pH range at which low-salinity waterflooding yields positive effect for basic oil, it shifts the pH window at which low-salinity waterflooding has potentially negative results to lower pH values for neutral oil. In addition, the temperature magnifies the ability of low-salinity waterflooding to enhance surface potential. Furthermore, our results support the need for conducting experimental work at the relevant reservoir temperature to evaluate the performance of low-salinity waterflooding.

Authors:

Mansi, Mohamed ^[1];

^[1]; Fahes, Mashhad ^[1]; Viswanathan, Hari ^[1]

Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy, Norman, OK (United States); Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Publication Date:: Sat Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 2019

Research Org.:: Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: Universities/Institutions; USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1576939

Report Number(s):: LA-UR-19-28076
Journal ID: ISSN 0927-7757

Grant/Contract Number:: 89233218CNA000001

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Colloids and Surfaces. A, Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 586; Journal ID: ISSN 0927-7757

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Earth Sciences

Citation Formats


                    Mansi, Mohamed, Mehana, Mohamed, Fahes, Mashhad, and Viswanathan, Hari. Thermodynamic modeling of the temperature impact on low-salinity waterflooding performance in sandstones.  United States: N. p., 2019. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.124207.

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                    Mansi, Mohamed, Mehana, Mohamed, Fahes, Mashhad, & Viswanathan, Hari. Thermodynamic modeling of the temperature impact on low-salinity waterflooding performance in sandstones.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.124207

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                    Mansi, Mohamed, Mehana, Mohamed, Fahes, Mashhad, and Viswanathan, Hari. Sat .  
"Thermodynamic modeling of the temperature impact on low-salinity waterflooding performance in sandstones".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.124207.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1576939.

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@article{osti_1576939,

  title        = {Thermodynamic modeling of the temperature impact on low-salinity waterflooding performance in sandstones},

  author       = {Mansi, Mohamed and Mehana, Mohamed and Fahes, Mashhad and Viswanathan, Hari},

  abstractNote = {Low-salinity waterflooding has emerged as an innovative technique to improve oil recovery. Extensive research has been devoted to providing a better understanding of the mechanisms involved and to optimize its performance. Among those mechanisms, multi-component ion exchange mechanism explains the coordination of surface complexes in a way that highlights the essence of low-salinity waterflooding. However, the impact of temperature on low-salinity waterflooding is still poorly understood. We used surface complexation modeling to study both the oil/brine and mineral/brine interfaces up to a temperature of 150 °C. Given the heterogeneity of the oil interface, we studied three oil interfaces with varying total base number to total acid number ratios. It was determined that temperature is a critical factor in estimating the performance of low-salinity waterflooding. While temperature reduces the pH range at which low-salinity waterflooding yields positive effect for basic oil, it shifts the pH window at which low-salinity waterflooding has potentially negative results to lower pH values for neutral oil. In addition, the temperature magnifies the ability of low-salinity waterflooding to enhance surface potential. Furthermore, our results support the need for conducting experimental work at the relevant reservoir temperature to evaluate the performance of low-salinity waterflooding.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.124207},

  journal      = {Colloids and Surfaces. A, Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects},

  number       = ,

  volume       = 586,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Sat Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 2019},

  month        = {Sat Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 2019}

}

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