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Title: Altering wettability to recover more oil from tight formations

Journal Article · · Journal of Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  2. Science Based Solutions, Laramie, WY (United States)
  3. Statoil Gulf Services LLC, Houston, TX (United States)

We describe here a method for chemically modifying fracturing fluids and overflushes to chemically increase oil recovery from tight formations. Oil wetting of tight formations is usually controlled by adhesion to illite, kerogen, or both; adhesion to carbonate minerals may also play a role. Oil-illite adhesion is sensitive to salinity, dissolved divalent cation content, and pH. We measure oil-rock adhesion with middle Bakken formation oil and core to verify a surface complexation model of reservoir wettability. The agreement between the model and experiments suggests that wettability trends in tight formations can be quantitatively predicted and that fracturing fluid and overflush compositions can be individually tailored to increase oil recovery.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
1259534
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1356701
Report Number(s):
SAND-2015-9056J; PII: S2213397616300192
Journal Information:
Journal of Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources, Vol. 15, Issue C; ISSN 2213-3976
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (1)