Wettability alteration of carbonate reservoir cores—laboratory evaluation using complementary techniques

Omar Khaleel, Tadesse W. Teklu, Waleed Alameri, Hazim Abass, Hossein Kazemi

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    18 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    The objective of this paper was to assess the applicability of relatively low-salinity brine and different surfactants for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East. Phase behavior, interfacial tension (IFT), contact angle, spontaneous imbibition, and f-potential experiments were performed. The experimental work flow included a phase-behavior study followed by IFT, contact-angle measurements, spontaneous-imbibition measurements, and f-potential measurements at varying salinities and surfactant concentrations. Contact-angle-measurement results indicated that surfactant solutions, in addition to lowering IFT, tend to change the core wettability from oil-wet or neutral-wet to more water-wet. Furthermore, the best results were achieved by adding an anionic surfactant. Moreover, spontaneous imbibition and f-potential measurements provided additional supporting data that diluted seawater (DSW), in a dilute anionic or nonionic surfactant solution, alters the wettability of carbonates to a favorable wetting state for improving oil recovery. This research presents a set of diverse experimental data that confirms adding low concentrations of anionic and nonionic surfactants to DSW improves oil recovery from carbonate reservoirs.

    Original languageBritish English
    Pages (from-to)911-922
    Number of pages12
    JournalSPE Reservoir Evaluation and Engineering
    Volume22
    Issue number3
    StatePublished - 2019

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