Effect of small-scale heterogeneity on biopolymer performance in carbonates

Emad W. Al-Shalabi

doi:10.1007/s13202-020-00949-7

Effect of small-scale heterogeneity on biopolymer performance in carbonates

Emad W. Al-Shalabi

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Polymer flooding is a well-established chemical method for enhancing oil recovery in sandstones; however, it has a limited application in carbonates. This is due to the harsh reservoir conditions in carbonates including high temperature, high salinity, and high heterogeneity with low permeability. This paper numerically investigates the effect of Schizophyllan biopolymer on oil recovery from carbonates. The effect of biopolymer on oil recovery was predicted by running several 1D simulations. Biopolymer flow behavior was modeled based on experimental data. The results showed that the effect of the investigated biopolymer on oil recovery was not much pronounced compared to conventional waterflooding. This is due to small-scale heterogeneity, which increased effective shear rate and hence, decreased in-situ polymer viscosity. Formation permeability, polymer viscosity, and oil saturation maps were consistent in justifying this observation. The findings of this study were supported by fractional flow and mobility ratio analyses. This work highlights the importance of small-scale heterogeneity of the core in modeling polymer flooding, particularly the shear effect on polymer viscosity.

Original language	British English
Pages (from-to)	2907-2922
Number of pages	16
Journal	Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology
Volume	10
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-020-00949-7
State	Published - 1 Oct 2020

Keywords

Biopolymer modeling
Chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR)
Fractional flow analysis
Mobility ratio
Small scale heterogeneity

UN SDGs

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10.1007/s13202-020-00949-7

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title = "Effect of small-scale heterogeneity on biopolymer performance in carbonates",

abstract = "Polymer flooding is a well-established chemical method for enhancing oil recovery in sandstones; however, it has a limited application in carbonates. This is due to the harsh reservoir conditions in carbonates including high temperature, high salinity, and high heterogeneity with low permeability. This paper numerically investigates the effect of Schizophyllan biopolymer on oil recovery from carbonates. The effect of biopolymer on oil recovery was predicted by running several 1D simulations. Biopolymer flow behavior was modeled based on experimental data. The results showed that the effect of the investigated biopolymer on oil recovery was not much pronounced compared to conventional waterflooding. This is due to small-scale heterogeneity, which increased effective shear rate and hence, decreased in-situ polymer viscosity. Formation permeability, polymer viscosity, and oil saturation maps were consistent in justifying this observation. The findings of this study were supported by fractional flow and mobility ratio analyses. This work highlights the importance of small-scale heterogeneity of the core in modeling polymer flooding, particularly the shear effect on polymer viscosity.",

keywords = "Biopolymer modeling, Chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR), Fractional flow analysis, Mobility ratio, Small scale heterogeneity",

author = "Al-Shalabi, {Emad W.}",

note = "Funding Information: The author wishes to acknowledge Khalifa University of Science and Technology for the support and encouragement. This publication is partially supported by Khalifa University under Award No. [FSU-2018–26]. Moreover, the author would like to thank Professor Kamy Sepehrnoori at the University of Texas at Austin for providing access to UTCHEM. Funding Information: The author wishes to acknowledge Khalifa University of Science and Technology for the support and encouragement. This publication is partially supported by Khalifa University under Award No. [FSU-2018?26]. Moreover, the author would like to thank Professor Kamy Sepehrnoori at the University of Texas at Austin for providing access to UTCHEM. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020, The Author(s).",

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doi = "10.1007/s13202-020-00949-7",

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T1 - Effect of small-scale heterogeneity on biopolymer performance in carbonates

AU - Al-Shalabi, Emad W.

N1 - Funding Information: The author wishes to acknowledge Khalifa University of Science and Technology for the support and encouragement. This publication is partially supported by Khalifa University under Award No. [FSU-2018–26]. Moreover, the author would like to thank Professor Kamy Sepehrnoori at the University of Texas at Austin for providing access to UTCHEM. Funding Information: The author wishes to acknowledge Khalifa University of Science and Technology for the support and encouragement. This publication is partially supported by Khalifa University under Award No. [FSU-2018?26]. Moreover, the author would like to thank Professor Kamy Sepehrnoori at the University of Texas at Austin for providing access to UTCHEM. Publisher Copyright: © 2020, The Author(s).

PY - 2020/10/1

Y1 - 2020/10/1

N2 - Polymer flooding is a well-established chemical method for enhancing oil recovery in sandstones; however, it has a limited application in carbonates. This is due to the harsh reservoir conditions in carbonates including high temperature, high salinity, and high heterogeneity with low permeability. This paper numerically investigates the effect of Schizophyllan biopolymer on oil recovery from carbonates. The effect of biopolymer on oil recovery was predicted by running several 1D simulations. Biopolymer flow behavior was modeled based on experimental data. The results showed that the effect of the investigated biopolymer on oil recovery was not much pronounced compared to conventional waterflooding. This is due to small-scale heterogeneity, which increased effective shear rate and hence, decreased in-situ polymer viscosity. Formation permeability, polymer viscosity, and oil saturation maps were consistent in justifying this observation. The findings of this study were supported by fractional flow and mobility ratio analyses. This work highlights the importance of small-scale heterogeneity of the core in modeling polymer flooding, particularly the shear effect on polymer viscosity.

AB - Polymer flooding is a well-established chemical method for enhancing oil recovery in sandstones; however, it has a limited application in carbonates. This is due to the harsh reservoir conditions in carbonates including high temperature, high salinity, and high heterogeneity with low permeability. This paper numerically investigates the effect of Schizophyllan biopolymer on oil recovery from carbonates. The effect of biopolymer on oil recovery was predicted by running several 1D simulations. Biopolymer flow behavior was modeled based on experimental data. The results showed that the effect of the investigated biopolymer on oil recovery was not much pronounced compared to conventional waterflooding. This is due to small-scale heterogeneity, which increased effective shear rate and hence, decreased in-situ polymer viscosity. Formation permeability, polymer viscosity, and oil saturation maps were consistent in justifying this observation. The findings of this study were supported by fractional flow and mobility ratio analyses. This work highlights the importance of small-scale heterogeneity of the core in modeling polymer flooding, particularly the shear effect on polymer viscosity.

KW - Biopolymer modeling

KW - Chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR)

KW - Fractional flow analysis

KW - Mobility ratio

KW - Small scale heterogeneity

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ER -

Effect of small-scale heterogeneity on biopolymer performance in carbonates

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Keywords

UN SDGs

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