Role of high-density brines in reservoir development stages: A review

High-density brines have been recognized beneficial for oilfield applications, with various key areas such as drilling, completion and formation evaluation. High-density brines can play a critical role in the development and production of oil and gas reservoirs during the primary, secondary, and tertiary recovery phases. High-density brines can enhance the mobility and recovery of the oil in the reservoir by controlling the density and viscosity. However, a less attention has been given to the application of high-density brine in the area of reservoir development. This review is shedding light on a concise overview of reservoir development stages in association with the recovery mechanisms. In addition, most possible applications of high-density fluids have also been reviewed in the field of the reservoir development. In summary, this review state that high-density brines can be used to stimulate reservoirs by hydraulic fracturing during the primary recovery phase. However, the risk of increased interfacial tension, which relies on the density difference of two fluids, can trap more residual oil relative to conventional water flooding. In addition, high-density brines are effective in decreasing the mobility ratio and facilitating favorable displacement during polymer flooding. However, they can be least effective in alkaline flooding due to the high IFT related to large density differences. Thus, it is suggested to consider the utilization of sustainable high-density brines by taking into account effective factors in petroleum engineering aspects such as stimulation, secondary recovery and polymer flooding.