TY - JOUR
T1 - Standardization of Particle Size for Floating Particle Wettability Measurement for Carbonate Rocks
AU - Ghosh, Bisweswar
AU - Belhaj, Hadi
AU - Alhashmi, Huda
AU - Idachaba, Francis
AU - Joshi, Parth
AU - Rahman, Md Motiur
AU - Haroun, Mohammed
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.
PY - 2023/4/4
Y1 - 2023/4/4
N2 - Misrepresentation of the wettability of a reservoir can lead to potentially low ultimate hydrocarbon recovery resulting in substantial economic losses. At the same time, it is impossible to determine the wettability of a reservoir across its length and breadth on a continuous basis using standard procedures. This work presents the development and standardization of a quick, easy, and low-cost wettability measurement method using the adherence tendency of rock particles in the oil or aqueous phase. The most important aspect of this study was establishing the optimum particle size for sustained floatation and balancing the buoyancy and gravity effect. The results show that the particles sink with a larger than optimum particle size because of the gravity effect. Similarly, the particles would float if they are smaller than optimum due to buoyancy and viscosity advantages. A new scale is designed, and the midpoint analysis shows that a 63-90 μm particle size is the ideal size range for the carbonate reservoir’s wettability measurements, as the midpoint of the size distribution coincides with the standard Amott-Harvey (A-H) index. However, this size range is found to be wider for oil-wet particles. The floating particle method has several advantages over the established methods once standardized against a reliable process. Not only is the process fast but it can be performed with basic laboratory tools and does not require a high skill set. Most importantly, reliable wettability information can be obtained from drill cuttings and core fragments, enabling the determination of reservoir wettability on a continuum basis and not as a point basis, thus providing a more reliable average value, particularly for heterogeneous and unconsolidated reservoirs.
AB - Misrepresentation of the wettability of a reservoir can lead to potentially low ultimate hydrocarbon recovery resulting in substantial economic losses. At the same time, it is impossible to determine the wettability of a reservoir across its length and breadth on a continuous basis using standard procedures. This work presents the development and standardization of a quick, easy, and low-cost wettability measurement method using the adherence tendency of rock particles in the oil or aqueous phase. The most important aspect of this study was establishing the optimum particle size for sustained floatation and balancing the buoyancy and gravity effect. The results show that the particles sink with a larger than optimum particle size because of the gravity effect. Similarly, the particles would float if they are smaller than optimum due to buoyancy and viscosity advantages. A new scale is designed, and the midpoint analysis shows that a 63-90 μm particle size is the ideal size range for the carbonate reservoir’s wettability measurements, as the midpoint of the size distribution coincides with the standard Amott-Harvey (A-H) index. However, this size range is found to be wider for oil-wet particles. The floating particle method has several advantages over the established methods once standardized against a reliable process. Not only is the process fast but it can be performed with basic laboratory tools and does not require a high skill set. Most importantly, reliable wettability information can be obtained from drill cuttings and core fragments, enabling the determination of reservoir wettability on a continuum basis and not as a point basis, thus providing a more reliable average value, particularly for heterogeneous and unconsolidated reservoirs.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85151122348&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acsomega.2c06679
DO - 10.1021/acsomega.2c06679
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85151122348
SN - 2470-1343
VL - 8
SP - 11837
EP - 11851
JO - ACS Omega
JF - ACS Omega
IS - 13
ER -