An Analytical Model for Brine-Induced Oil Recovery

Abstract

An analytical model for field application of improved waterflooding through brine concentration is presented. Based on several laboratory studies, many researchers suggested that changing the brine concentration during waterflooding offered viable options for improved oil recovery. In this regard, particularly in cyclic waterflooding, these studies have confirmed the effectiveness of such an approach. Generally, however, they are limited to laboratory studies without much field application. Most laboratory results do not present a clearly defined approach for practical application. This article analyses laboratory results and proffers a concise approach for field application. To this end, based on the reinterpretation of the Civan and Knapp model, an oil recovery model is developed for cyclic waterflooding. This model monitors waterflood performance based on the impact of brine injection for increased oil recovery.

The Estimation of Reservoir Brine Properties During Crude Oil Production Using a Simple Predictive Tool

“…These aquifers may be substantially larger than the oil or gas reservoirs they adjoin as to appear infinite in size, or they may be small in size as to be negligible in their effect on reservoir performance (Ahmed, 2006;Ogunberu and Ayub, 2007). In hydrocarbon reservoirs water coning is underlying the upward movement of reservoir brine (formation water) into the perforations of a producing well and this can seriously impact the well productivity and influence the degree of depletion and the overall recovery efficiency of the oil reservoirs.…”