The Open Petroleum Engineering Journal

2016, 9 : 257-267
Published online 2016 November 30. DOI: 10.2174/1874834101609010257
Publisher ID: TOPEJ-9-257

RESEARCH ARTICLE
 Variations of Micropores in Oil Reservoir Before and After Strong Alkaline Alkaline-surfactant-polymer Flooding

Yongqiang Bai, *,1, 2 , Yang Chunmei1 , Liu Mei1 and Jiang Zhenxue2
1 College of Electronic Science, Northeast Petroleum University, The University-enterprise R & D Center of Measuring and Testing Technology & Instrument and Meter Engineering in Heilongjiang Province, Daqing, 163318, China
2 Unconventional Gas Research Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China

* Address correspondence to this author at the College of Electronic Science, Northeast Petroleum University, No. 199, Fazhan Road, High Tech. District, Daqing, Heilongjiang, China; Tel: +864596503804; Fax: +864596504969; E-mails: , yqbai2012@163.com

ABSTRACT

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) provides a significant contribution for increasing output of crude oil. Alkaline-surfactant-polymer (ASP), as an effective chemical method of EOR, has played an important role in advancing crude oil output of the Daqing oilfield, China. Chemical flooding utilized in the process of ASP EOR has produced concerned damage to the reservoir, especially from the strong alkali of ASP, and variations of micropore structure of sandstones in the oil reservoirs restrain output of crude oil in the late stages of oilfield development. Laboratory flooding experiments were conducted to study sandstones’ micropore structure behavior at varying ASP flooding stages. Qualitative and quantitative analysis by cast thin section, scanning electric microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electron probe X-Ray microanalysis (EPMA) explain the mechanisms of sandstones’ micropore structure change. According to the quantitative analysis, as the ASP dose agent increases, the pore width and pore depth exhibit a tendency of decrease-increase-decrease, and the specific ASP flooding stage is found in which flooding stage is most affective from the perspective of micropore structures. With the analysis of SEM images and variations of mineral compositions of samples, the migration of intergranular particles, the corrosions of clay, feldspar and quartz, and formation of new intergranular substances contribute to the alterations of sandstone pore structure. Results of this study provide significant guidance for further application to ASP flooding.

Keywords:

Alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding, Fractal dimension, Micropore structure, Pore depth, Pore width, Scaling.