Resonance-Enhanced Pulsing Water Injection for Improved Oil Recovery: Micromodel Experiments and Analysis

Abstract

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is a crucial technology in the petroleum industry, influenced by several factors, including flooding fluids and methods. The adjustment of injection strategies and the application of vibration stimulation can significantly impact oil recovery, especially residual oil. In this study, we conducted experiments using a glass micromodel to investigate the effect of pulsing water injection on oil recovery. Our results show that when the pulse frequency matches the natural frequency of the micromodel, resonance occurs during the two-phase flow of pulse driving, which causes an increase in the amplitude of oscillation, enhances the mobility of oil, and improves recovery. The efficiency of the kinetic energy of displacement is also improved. However, when the frequency is 3 Hz, the absence of resonance leads to the opposite effect. In addition, we found that a greater amplitude increases the fluidity of oil. These findings have significant implications for the design of EOR strategies and methods. Our experimental results provide insight into the effect of pulse water injection on oil recovery and offer a potential strategy for the optimization of EOR techniques.

Synergism of a Novel Bio-Based Surfactant Derived from Pisum sativum and Formation Brine for Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery in Carbonate Oil Reservoirs

“…Surfactant flooding is one of the CEOR methods that has been successfully implemented for the past few decades; however, the environmental drawbacks of these chemical-based compounds have raised serious concerns about these materials. These chemical-based surfactants are toxic and nonenvironmentally friendly, restricting them from further development [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12].…”

“…Moradi et al extracted a new bio-based surfactant from the Tribulus Terrestris plant and used it for EOR in a carbonate oil reservoir. They also investigated the effects of different ions (Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , SO 4 2− ) on the efficiency of the green surfactant during smart water flooding. Their findings revealed that SO 4 2− had the best impact on the green surfactant's performance.…”

“…They also investigated the effects of different ions (Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , SO 4 2− ) on the efficiency of the green surfactant during smart water flooding. Their findings revealed that SO 4 2− had the best impact on the green surfactant's performance. At a CMC point of 0.3 wt%, the minimum contact angle and IFT values of 54.4 • and 13.5 mN/m were attained, respectively.…”