Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Water and Polymer Flooding on Geometric and Multifractal Characteristics of Pore Structures

Xianguo Zhang, Chengyan Lin, Yuqi Wu, Tao Zhang, Hongwei Wang, Hanwei Wang, Xiaoxiao Wu and Derong Huang
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Xianguo Zhang: School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, China
Chengyan Lin: School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, China
Yuqi Wu: School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, China
Tao Zhang: College of Earth Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, China
Hongwei Wang: Dagang Oil Field, PetroChina, Tianjin 300280, China
Hanwei Wang: School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, China
Xiaoxiao Wu: School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, China
Derong Huang: School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, China

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 20, 1-19

Abstract: During water and polymer flooding for enhanced oil recovery, pore structures may vary because of the fluid–rock interactions, which can lead to variations in petrophysical properties and affect oil field production. To investigate the effects of fluid flooding on pore structures, six samples were subjected to brine water, dual-system, and alkaline–surfactant–polymer (ASP) polymer displacement experiments. Before and after experiments, samples were scanned by X-ray CT. Thin sections, X-ray diffraction, and high pressure mercury injection tests were also carried out to characterize mineralogy and fractal dimension of pore systems before experiments. Experiment results show that water flooding with low injection pore volume ratio (IPVR) can improve reservoir quality since total porosity and connected porosity of samples rise after the flooding and the proportion of large pores also increases and heterogeneity of pore structure decreases. However, water flooding with high IPVR has reverse effects on pore structures. Polymer flooding reduces the total porosity, connected porosity, the percentage of small pores and enhances the heterogeneity of pore structures. It can be found that pore structures will change in fluid flooding and appropriate water injection can improve reservoir quality while excessive water injection may destroy the reservoir. Meanwhile, injected polymer may block throats and destroy reservoirs. The experimental results can be used as the basis for oil field development.

Keywords: multifractal analysis; pore structure; displacement experiment; fractal dimension; water flooding; polymer flooding (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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