Comprehensive investigation of non-equilibrium properties of foamy oil induced by different types of gases

Sun, Xiaofei; Cai, Linfeng; Zhang, Yanyu; Li, Ting; Song, Zhaoyao; Teng, Zhiyi

doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2022.123296

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Three common solvents, CH 4 , C 3 H 8 , and CO 2 as well as their mixtures, are mostly used in the heavy oil-solvent systems. Sun et al conducted a series of tests in a PVT cell to study the different foamy-oil evolution processes in the heavy oil-CH 4 /C 3 H 8 /CO 2 systems [8]. They found that more gas was evolved in the heavy oil-CH 4 system than in the heavy oil-C 3 H 8 /CO 2 system at the same solvent molar concentration, which indicated that CH 4 bubbles were nucleated more readily.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solvent Exsolution and Liberation from Different Heavy Oil–Solvent Systems in Bulk Phases and Porous Media: A Comparison Study

Zou,

2024

Energies

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In this paper, experimental and numerical studies were conducted to differentiate solvent exsolution and liberation processes from different heavy oil–solvent systems in bulk phases and porous media. Experimentally, two series of constant-composition-expansion (CCE) tests in a PVT cell and differential fluid production (DFP) tests in a sandpacked model were performed and compared in the heavy oil–CO2, heavy oil–CH4, and heavy oil–C3H8 systems. The experimental results showed that the solvent exsolution from each heavy oil–solvent system in the porous media occurred at a higher pressure. The measured bubble-nucleation pressures (Pn) of the heavy oil–CO2 system, heavy oil–CH4 system, and heavy oil–C3H8 system in the porous media were 0.24 MPa, 0.90 MPa, and 0.02 MPa higher than those in the bulk phases, respectively. In addition, the nucleation of CH4 bubbles was found to be more instantaneous than that of CO2 or C3H8 bubbles. Numerically, a robust kinetic reaction model in the commercial CMG-STARS module was utilized to simulate the gas exsolution and liberation processes of the CCE and DFP tests. The respective reaction frequency factors for gas exsolution (rffe) and liberation (rffl) were obtained in the numerical simulations. Higher values of rffe were found for the tests in the porous media in comparison with those in the bulk phases, suggesting that the presence of the porous media facilitated the gas exsolution. The magnitudes of rffe for the three different heavy oil–solvent systems followed the order of CO2 > CH4 > C3H8 in the bulk phases and CH4 > CO2 > C3H8 in the porous media. Hence, CO2 was exsolved from the heavy oil most readily in the bulk phases, whereas CH4 was exsolved from the heavy oil most easily in the porous media. Among the three solvents, CH4 was also found most difficult to be liberated from the heavy oil in the DFP test with the lowest rffl of 0.00019 min−1. This study indicates that foamy-oil evolution processes in the heavy oil reservoirs are rather different from those observed from the bulk-phase tests, such as the PVT tests.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Solvent Exsolution and Liberation from Different Heavy Oil–Solvent Systems in Bulk Phases and Porous Media: A Comparison Study

Zou,

2024

Energies

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“…Phase distribution of foamy oil systems has been determined by measuring nonequilibrium foamy oil properties such as pressure–volume and pressure–viscosity responses . Combinations of PVT and visualization systems have been applied to study foamy oil mechanisms . Long-core and sandpacked models have been extensively used to mimic primary production where solution gas drive is the main mechanism. − Many parameters have been examined on the effect of foamy oil stability during pressure depletion, such as solvent types, pressure depletion rates, temperature, , etc.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonequilibrium Exsolution Kinetics of Hydrocarbon Solvents in Heavy Oil

Wang,

Zeng,

Torabi

et al. 2024

Energy Fuels

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Nonequilibrium exsolution kinetics of methane and propane in heavy oil were studied through visual experimentations and continuum simulations. Experimentally, novel Constant Composition Expansion (CCE) tests, combined with a micromodel to visualize the bubbly oil flow, were fulfilled in pressure−volume− temperature (PVT) cells. Two schemes were applied, namely, constant volume extraction (CVE) and stepwise pressure depletion (SPD). From the pressure measurement of CVE, methane first went through a pressure-declining period due to hysteresis of exsolution and later a pressure-maintaining period under a balance between exsolution and volume expansion rate. Meanwhile, the pressure of the propane system dropped rapidly and rebounded back to a constant pressure for a long period of time due to a higher solubility than methane. Compared with equilibrium state, the solvent exsolution of both live oils were always under nonequilibrium. Bubbly oil flow was visually observed to determine the range of pseudobubble point pressure. From the volume expansion behavior from the SPD tests, both methane-and propane-based live oil systems present a close-to-linear relationship between volume and time at each pressure drawdown level before reaching equilibrium. This facilitates the quantification of exsolution rate under given pressure. Numerically, a simulation platform to calculate nonequilibrium exsolution kinetics has been built. The feasibility of the simulator is verified through simulating literature data with various pressure data ranges. The exsolution rates have been achieved by history matching the CVE and SPD tests. For CVE tests, methane shows a higher exsolution rate (1 × 10 −4 to 1 × 10 −2 min −1 ) than propane (1 × 10 −6 to 1 × 10 −3 min −1 ) under the same volume expansion rate, indicating a higher tendency to exsolve and form foamy oil. Propane tends to stay in heavy oil due to high solubility. The exsolution rates of the stable-pressure period present a power relationship with volume expansion rate for both live oils. For SPD tests, methane presents a similar range of exsolution rates (1 × 10 −5 to 1 × 10 −4 min −1 ) as propane under similar P/P sat ratios with pre-existing free gas phase. Compared to tests conducted by a sudden pressure drawdown scheme, pre-existing gas cap yields lower exsolution rates due to smaller chemical potential between phases. SPD tests also verify faster exsolution kinetics for methane than propane.

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“…Traditional surfactants commonly used in heavy oil recovery processes (such as polyethylene glycol ether and dodecyl sulfate) show their limited ability to generate stable oily foam in the presence of heavy oils. Heavy oils often have high viscosity and complex compositions, which can hinder the adsorption and distribution of conventional surfactants at the oil–water interface. , This results in reduced stability and efficiency of oily foam generation. The CO 2 -soluble surfactant can dissolve in CO 2 and is transported into the reservoir with the injection of CO 2 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stability Analysis of Anionic-CO₂-Soluble Surfactant Di-(2-ethylhexyl) Sodium Sulfosuccinate-Assisted Oily Foam Based on Statistical Analysis of Bubble Dynamic Characteristics

Xu,

Wang,

et al. 2023

Langmuir

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Currently, oily foam stability in CO 2 injection for heavy oil recovery exhibits inadequacies that considerably constrain its extensive application. Some scholars have conducted research demonstrating that CO 2 -soluble surfactants can assist in inducing heavy oil to form oil-based foams (oily foam). In this study, stability tests for the oily foam were conducted at different surfactant concentrations using a visualized PVT cell. Oily foam stability was assessed by calculating the comprehensive foam index (S) and analyzing the bubble images. The research indicates that AOT can effectively reduce the interfacial tension between oil and gas. At a concentration of 0.1 wt % AOT, the interfacial tension can be effectively reduced from 1.75 to 1.14 mN/m. The concentration of 0.3 wt % AOT represents a turning point, with an S of 16 101.7 mL•min. Beyond this concentration, the increase in S becomes less pronounced. As the concentration of CO 2soluble surfactant is increased from 0.1 to 0.5 wt %, the average bubble radius decreases from 2.74 to 0.43 mm, while the number of bubbles per unit area increases from 5.56 to 81.1 per cm 2 . With an increasing concentration of the CO 2 -soluble surfactant, the system generates more and smaller gas bubbles within the oily foam, resulting in a slower bubble coalescence. The findings of this study are poised to play a pivotal role in enhancing heavy oil recovery efficiency.

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Comprehensive investigation of non-equilibrium properties of foamy oil induced by different types of gases

Cited by 5 publications

References 38 publications

Solvent Exsolution and Liberation from Different Heavy Oil–Solvent Systems in Bulk Phases and Porous Media: A Comparison Study

Solvent Exsolution and Liberation from Different Heavy Oil–Solvent Systems in Bulk Phases and Porous Media: A Comparison Study

Nonequilibrium Exsolution Kinetics of Hydrocarbon Solvents in Heavy Oil

Stability Analysis of Anionic-CO₂-Soluble Surfactant Di-(2-ethylhexyl) Sodium Sulfosuccinate-Assisted Oily Foam Based on Statistical Analysis of Bubble Dynamic Characteristics

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Comprehensive investigation of non-equilibrium properties of foamy oil induced by different types of gases

Cited by 5 publications

References 38 publications

Solvent Exsolution and Liberation from Different Heavy Oil–Solvent Systems in Bulk Phases and Porous Media: A Comparison Study

Solvent Exsolution and Liberation from Different Heavy Oil–Solvent Systems in Bulk Phases and Porous Media: A Comparison Study

Nonequilibrium Exsolution Kinetics of Hydrocarbon Solvents in Heavy Oil

Stability Analysis of Anionic-CO2-Soluble Surfactant Di-(2-ethylhexyl) Sodium Sulfosuccinate-Assisted Oily Foam Based on Statistical Analysis of Bubble Dynamic Characteristics

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Stability Analysis of Anionic-CO₂-Soluble Surfactant Di-(2-ethylhexyl) Sodium Sulfosuccinate-Assisted Oily Foam Based on Statistical Analysis of Bubble Dynamic Characteristics