Pore-scale simulation of low-salinity waterflooding in mixed-wet systems: effect of corner flow, surface heterogeneity and kinetics of wettability alteration
Abstract The initial wettability state of the candidate oil reservoirs for low-salinity waterflooding (LSWF) is commonly characterized as mixed-wet. In mixed-wet systems, both the two-phase flow dynamics and the salt transport are significantly influenced by the corner flow of the wetting phase. Thu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56846-0 |
| _version_ | 1827310290076696576 |
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| author | Ali Ahmadi-Falavarjani Hassan Mahani Shahab Ayatollahi |
| author_facet | Ali Ahmadi-Falavarjani Hassan Mahani Shahab Ayatollahi |
| author_sort | Ali Ahmadi-Falavarjani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The initial wettability state of the candidate oil reservoirs for low-salinity waterflooding (LSWF) is commonly characterized as mixed-wet. In mixed-wet systems, both the two-phase flow dynamics and the salt transport are significantly influenced by the corner flow of the wetting phase. Thus this study aims at comprehensive evaluation of LSWF efficiency by capturing the effect of corner flow and non-uniform wettability distribution. In this regard, direct numerical simulations under capillary-dominated flow regime were performed using the OpenFOAM Computational Fluid Dynamics toolbox. The results indicate that corner flow results in the transport of low-salinity water ahead of the primary fluid front and triggers a transition in the flow regime from a piston-like to multi-directional displacement. This then makes a substantial difference of 22% in the ultimate oil recovery factors between the 2D and quasi-3D models. Furthermore, the interplay of solute transport through corners and wettability alteration kinetics can lead to a new oil trapping mechanism, not reported in the literature, that diminishes LSWF efficiency. While the findings of this study elucidate that LSWF does exhibit improved oil recovery compared to high-salinity waterflooding, the complicating phenomena in mixed-wet systems can significantly affect the efficiency of this method and make it less successful. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:57:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-abd097149d11436e8c554c48423d355f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:57:22Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-abd097149d11436e8c554c48423d355f2024-03-24T12:16:23ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-03-0114111910.1038/s41598-024-56846-0Pore-scale simulation of low-salinity waterflooding in mixed-wet systems: effect of corner flow, surface heterogeneity and kinetics of wettability alterationAli Ahmadi-Falavarjani0Hassan Mahani1Shahab Ayatollahi2Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of TechnologyDepartment of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of TechnologyDepartment of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of TechnologyAbstract The initial wettability state of the candidate oil reservoirs for low-salinity waterflooding (LSWF) is commonly characterized as mixed-wet. In mixed-wet systems, both the two-phase flow dynamics and the salt transport are significantly influenced by the corner flow of the wetting phase. Thus this study aims at comprehensive evaluation of LSWF efficiency by capturing the effect of corner flow and non-uniform wettability distribution. In this regard, direct numerical simulations under capillary-dominated flow regime were performed using the OpenFOAM Computational Fluid Dynamics toolbox. The results indicate that corner flow results in the transport of low-salinity water ahead of the primary fluid front and triggers a transition in the flow regime from a piston-like to multi-directional displacement. This then makes a substantial difference of 22% in the ultimate oil recovery factors between the 2D and quasi-3D models. Furthermore, the interplay of solute transport through corners and wettability alteration kinetics can lead to a new oil trapping mechanism, not reported in the literature, that diminishes LSWF efficiency. While the findings of this study elucidate that LSWF does exhibit improved oil recovery compared to high-salinity waterflooding, the complicating phenomena in mixed-wet systems can significantly affect the efficiency of this method and make it less successful.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56846-0 |
| spellingShingle | Ali Ahmadi-Falavarjani Hassan Mahani Shahab Ayatollahi Pore-scale simulation of low-salinity waterflooding in mixed-wet systems: effect of corner flow, surface heterogeneity and kinetics of wettability alteration Scientific Reports |
| title | Pore-scale simulation of low-salinity waterflooding in mixed-wet systems: effect of corner flow, surface heterogeneity and kinetics of wettability alteration |
| title_full | Pore-scale simulation of low-salinity waterflooding in mixed-wet systems: effect of corner flow, surface heterogeneity and kinetics of wettability alteration |
| title_fullStr | Pore-scale simulation of low-salinity waterflooding in mixed-wet systems: effect of corner flow, surface heterogeneity and kinetics of wettability alteration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pore-scale simulation of low-salinity waterflooding in mixed-wet systems: effect of corner flow, surface heterogeneity and kinetics of wettability alteration |
| title_short | Pore-scale simulation of low-salinity waterflooding in mixed-wet systems: effect of corner flow, surface heterogeneity and kinetics of wettability alteration |
| title_sort | pore scale simulation of low salinity waterflooding in mixed wet systems effect of corner flow surface heterogeneity and kinetics of wettability alteration |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56846-0 |
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