CO2 Storage and Utilization in Tight Hydrocarbon-bearing Formations: A Case Study of the Bakken Formation in the Williston Basin

Sorensen, James A.; Braunberger, Jason R.; Liu, Guoxiang; Smith, Steven A.; Klenner, Robert; Steadman, Edward N.; Harju, John A.

doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2014.11.820

Cited by 23 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…MD simulations were carried out to study the viscosity reduction of n -alkanes due to the dissolution of CO 2 . The main temperature employed in our simulations is 383 K, which is consistent with the reported experimental study. ,, …”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Many CO 2 injection projects have been successfully carried out in Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado. − In recent years, the Middle Bakken formation of the Williston Basin in North Dakota has become the interest of CO 2 EOR applications. The Middle Bakken formation is a typical tight formation, which holds a huge CO 2 storage capacity and the potential of significantly increasing oil production by injection of CO 2 . The predicted recovery factor of primary oil recovery is less than 10%, , while using the CO 2 injection technique a 2.5–9.4% incremental oil recovery factor can be obtained …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) between Bakken crude oil and CO 2 as well as CO 2 flow in tight Bakken rocks were studied, ,, more work needs to be done on the solubility of CO 2 in Bakken crude oil, the swelling factors of the crude oil/CO 2 system, and the crude oil viscosity reduction. In this study, five main n -alkanes (octane, decane, dodecane, tetradecane, and hexadecane) in Middle Bakken crude oil were selected, and a series of configurational-bias Monte Carlo (CBMC) , simulations were performed to study the impacts of pressure, temperature, and carbon chain length on the solubility of CO 2 in different n -alkanes and the swelling of n -alkane/CO 2 systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Molecular Simulation Study on the Volume Swelling and the Viscosity Reduction of n-Alkane/CO₂ Systems

Zhao

2019

Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.

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Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) injection is a successful enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technology that is being widely applied in North American oil fields. Studies have suggested CO 2 -based EOR is technically possible in the Middle Bakken Formation of the Williston Basin in North Dakota. The swelling of a crude oil/CO 2 mixture plays a crucial role in the CO 2 flooding process. Therefore, a better understanding of the effect of CO 2 on crude oil swelling and viscosity reduction is critical for a successful CO 2 EOR project in unconventional reservoirs such as the Bakken Formation. In this work, a series of n-alkane/CO 2 systems were studied by performing configurational-bias Monte Carlo (CBMC) simulations and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The effects of carbon chain length, pressure, and temperature on the CO 2 solubility and the swelling factor were investigated. The solubility of CO 2 and the swelling factor of the CO 2 -saturated n-alkane are positively correlated to the pressure, while negatively correlated to the carbon chain length and temperature. With more CO 2 dissolved, the interaction energy between n-alkane molecules becomes less negative, which indicates the swelling of the n-alkane/CO 2 system. n-Alkanes with a longer carbon chain have a more negative intermolecular interaction energy and thus have a smaller swelling factor after saturation with CO 2 . With the increase of the CO 2 mole fraction, the viscosity of the n-alkane/CO 2 system is reduced. n-Alkanes with longer carbon chains have a larger viscosity reduction with increasing amounts of dissolved CO 2 . This study provides a reliable assessment of the volume swelling and viscosity reduction of n-alkane/CO 2 systems and can further assist the CO 2 EOR application in the Bakken Formation.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Molecular Simulation Study on the Volume Swelling and the Viscosity Reduction of n-Alkane/CO₂ Systems

Zhao

2019

Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.

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“…Kerogen samples (type II representing a marine environment) were collected from the Bakken Formation which is one of the largest unconventional shale oil plays in North America and is currently being studied for potential CO 2 -EOR and sequestration [16,17]. Samples were retrieved from four different wells that are drilled at different locations in the Williston Basin in ND, where the Bakken has different thermal maturities.…”

Section: Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Weight Distribution of Kerogen with MALDI-TOF-MS

Lee

Shokouhimehr²,

Ostadhassan³

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Kerogen is an amorphous organic matter (AOM) in fine grain sediments, which produces petroleum and other byproducts when subjected to adequate pressure and temperature (deep burial conditions). Chemical characteristics of kerogen by considering its biogenic origin, depositional environment, and thermal maturity has been studied extensively with different analytical methods, though its molecular structure is still not fully known. In this study, conventional geochemical methods were used to screen bulk rock aliquots from the Bakken Shale with varying thermal maturities. Organic matter was isolated from the mineral matrix and then a mass spectrometry method was utilized to quantify molecular weight distribution (MWD) of four different kerogens at various thermal maturity levels (immature to late mature). Furthermore, to complement mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed as a qualitative chemical and structural investigation technique. The MWD of four samples was obtained by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and the results are correlated with the absorption indices (CH3/CH2 ratio and aromaticity) calculated from the FTIR attenuated total reflectance (ATR) method. The results showed when the degree of maturity increases, the aliphatic length shortens, and the branching develops, as well as the aromatic structure becomes more abundant. Moreover, based on the MWD results, higher maturity kerogen samples would consist of larger size molecular structures, which are recognized as more developed aromatic, and aliphatic branching stretches. The combination of infrared spectroscopy (AFT-FTIR) and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) provided MWD variations in kerogen samples as a function of maturity based on varying absorption indices and revealed the rate of change in molecular mass populations as a function of thermal maturity.

show abstract

“…Kerogen samples (type II representing a marine environment) were collected from the Bakken Formation which is one of the largest unconventional shale oil plays in North America and is currently being studied for potential CO2-EOR and sequestration [16,17]. Samples were retrieved from four different wells that are drilled at different locations in the Williston Basin in ND, where the Bakken has different thermal maturities.…”

Section: Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Weight Distribution of Kerogen with MALDI-TOF-MS

Lee

Shokouhimehr²,

Ostadhassan³

et al. 2019

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Kerogen is an amorphous organic matter (AOM) in fine grain sediments, which produces petroleum and other byproducts when subjected to adequate pressure and temperature (deep burial conditions). Chemical characteristics of kerogen by considering its biogenic origin, depositional environment, and thermal maturity has been studied extensively with different analytical methods, though its molecular structure is still not fully known. In this study, conventional geochemical methods were used to screen bulk rock aliquots from the Bakken Shale with varying thermal maturities. Organic matter was isolated from the mineral matrix and then a mass spectrometry method was utilized to quantify molecular weight distribution (MWD) of four different kerogens at various thermal maturity levels (immature to late mature). Furthermore, to complement mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed as a qualitative chemical and structural investigation technique. The MWD of four samples was obtained by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and the results are correlated with the absorption indices (CH3/CH2 ratio and aromaticity) calculated from the FTIR attenuated total reflectance (ATR) method. The results showed when the degree of maturity increases, the aliphatic length shortens, and the branching develops, as well as the aromatic structure becomes more abundant. Moreover, based on the MWD results, higher maturity kerogen samples would consist of larger size molecular structures, which are recognized as more developed aromatic, and aliphatic branching stretches. The combination of infrared spectroscopy (AFT-FTIR) and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) provided MWD variations in kerogen samples as a function of maturity based on varying absorption indices and revealed the rate of change in molecular mass populations as a function of thermal maturity.

show abstract

CO2 Storage and Utilization in Tight Hydrocarbon-bearing Formations: A Case Study of the Bakken Formation in the Williston Basin

Cited by 23 publications

References 7 publications

Molecular Simulation Study on the Volume Swelling and the Viscosity Reduction of n-Alkane/CO₂ Systems

Molecular Simulation Study on the Volume Swelling and the Viscosity Reduction of n-Alkane/CO₂ Systems

Molecular Weight Distribution of Kerogen with MALDI-TOF-MS

Molecular Weight Distribution of Kerogen with MALDI-TOF-MS

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CO2 Storage and Utilization in Tight Hydrocarbon-bearing Formations: A Case Study of the Bakken Formation in the Williston Basin

Cited by 23 publications

References 7 publications

Molecular Simulation Study on the Volume Swelling and the Viscosity Reduction of n-Alkane/CO2 Systems

Molecular Simulation Study on the Volume Swelling and the Viscosity Reduction of n-Alkane/CO2 Systems

Molecular Weight Distribution of Kerogen with MALDI-TOF-MS

Molecular Weight Distribution of Kerogen with MALDI-TOF-MS

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Molecular Simulation Study on the Volume Swelling and the Viscosity Reduction of n-Alkane/CO₂ Systems

Molecular Simulation Study on the Volume Swelling and the Viscosity Reduction of n-Alkane/CO₂ Systems