Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- SURFACTANT FUNDAMENTALS
- SURFACTANTS IN POROUS MEDIA
- 4 Surfactant Adsorption in Porous Media
- 5 Surfactant Induced Wettability Alteration in Porous Media
- 6 Surfactant Flooding in Enhanced Oil Recovery
- 7 Scale-Up Evaluations and Simulations of Mobility Control Foams for Improved Oil Recovery
- OILWELL, NEAR-WELL, AND SURFACE OPERATIONS
- ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY APPLICATIONS
- GLOSSARY AND INDEXES
- Author Index
- Affiliation Index
- Subject Index
5 - Surfactant Induced Wettability Alteration in Porous Media
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 October 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- SURFACTANT FUNDAMENTALS
- SURFACTANTS IN POROUS MEDIA
- 4 Surfactant Adsorption in Porous Media
- 5 Surfactant Induced Wettability Alteration in Porous Media
- 6 Surfactant Flooding in Enhanced Oil Recovery
- 7 Scale-Up Evaluations and Simulations of Mobility Control Foams for Improved Oil Recovery
- OILWELL, NEAR-WELL, AND SURFACE OPERATIONS
- ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, AND SAFETY APPLICATIONS
- GLOSSARY AND INDEXES
- Author Index
- Affiliation Index
- Subject Index
Summary
It is the wettability of the reservoir rock that controls the distribution of oil and water and affects their movement through pore spaces. Understanding wettability in porous media is, by itself, a difficult problem. Controlling it to modify the behavior of reservoir rock presents a more complex problem. Surfactants provide a tool that can transform the wettability of the porous rock. There are numerous methodologies and practices for studying and measuring wettability and its modification. The interactions of surfactants with reservoir materials to alter wettability are highly dependent upon the pore surface composition and pore structure as well as the characteristics of the surfactants. Wettability alteration of the porous rock from surfactants can affect drilling, well completion, well stimulation, secondary or tertiary oil production and environmental cleanup.
Role of Wettability Alteration
Wettability alteration of porous reservoir rock with surfactants is one means to improve the flow and distribution of fluids in a reservoir. However, much remains to be learned regarding how surfactants interact with the rock minerals and organics found both within the pores and on the pore surfaces of reservoir rock. It is the objective of this chapter to provide an initial understanding and review of the following:
Theoretical aspects of wettability
Methods for measuring wettability
Surfactant induced wettability alteration
Laboratory and field studies
Background. Surfactants have been introduced into oil reservoirs to increase oil recovery, minimize adverse mobility ratios, clean plugged wellbores and improve drilling.
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- SurfactantsFundamentals and Applications in the Petroleum Industry, pp. 159 - 202Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2000
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