Surface Complexation Modelling of Wettability Alteration during Carbonated Water Flooding

Abstract

CO2 capture and utilization is an effective tool in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and hence, combating global warming. In the present study, surface complexation modeling (SCM) with the geochemistry solver, PHREEQ-C, was utilized to predict the wettability alteration of minerals, sandstone reservoir rocks (SRR), and pseudo-sandstone rocks (PSR) and mineral mixtures during carbonated water (CW) injection. The bond products, which is defined as the product of the mole fraction of oppositely charged mineral and oil surfaces, were calculated to estimate the wettability preferences. For the studied fluid systems, the results from SCM predicted that albite and quartz minerals were strongly water-wet while calcite was strongly oil-wet with formation water (FW). When it came to clay minerals, illite and montmorillonite were more oil-wet than quartz and less oil-wet than calcite. During CW injection (CWI), the wettability preferences of dominant minerals (considering weight and surface area) in SRR (i.e., quartz and calcite) were changed toward more water-wet, while for the clay minerals, the result was the opposite. The results from SCM showed that the wettability preferences of SRR were water-wet in both CW and FW. Moreover, increasing the amount of the water-wet minerals in mineral mixtures increased the rock’s tendency to become more water-wet.

Carbonated Water Injection for Enhanced Oil Recovery and CO2 Geosequestration in Different CO2 Repositories: A Review of Physicochemical Processes and Recent Advances

“…Also, the SCM technique can be used to study the trends in results from laboratory experiments and as the foremost screening tool to predict the potential wettability modification of rocks by CW. 175 Recently, Mehdiyev et al 175 employed the SCM technique with the geochemistry solver, PHREEQC, to predict the wettability modification of minerals and rocks in the presence of CW. They revealed that the wettability preference of a rock depends on the effective surface area and wetting state of the individual minerals of the rock.…”

“…Compared to other wettability identification methods (e.g., United States Bureau of Mines (USBM) and Amott–Harvey wettability test), SCM can accurately predict the dominant adhesion mechanisms (cation bridging and carboxylic oil component adsorption) that led to wetting preferences of minerals and rocks. Also, the SCM technique can be used to study the trends in results from laboratory experiments and as the foremost screening tool to predict the potential wettability modification of rocks by CW …”

“…Recently, Mehdiyev et al employed the SCM technique with the geochemistry solver, PHREEQC, to predict the wettability modification of minerals and rocks in the presence of CW. They revealed that the wettability preference of a rock depends on the effective surface area and wetting state of the individual minerals of the rock.…”

“…107 Surface complexation modeling (SCM) has been successfully deployed in a few investigations to comprehend the existing geochemical interaction between CW and formation fluids (brine and/or oil). 107,124,175 The SCM technique is a quick and cost-effective method for predicting the wetting conditions of minerals and reservoir rocks. Compared to other wettability identification methods (e.g., United States Bureau of Mines (USBM) and Amott−Harvey wettability test), SCM can accurately predict the dominant adhesion mechanisms (cation bridging and carboxylic oil component adsorption) that led to wetting preferences of minerals and rocks.…”

Wettability Alteration of Berea Sandstone for Gas Condensate Applications

“…Lately, there has been a growing interest within the energy industry toward wettability alteration. This interest emerges not just from the need to enhance well productivity but also to explore the potential for CO 2 sequestration. , Mehdiyev et al . modeled wettability alteration during carbonated water flooding for CO 2 sequestration and utilization.…”