Experimental Study on Water-in-Heavy-Oil Droplets Stability and Viscosity Variations in the Dilution Process of Water-in-Heavy-Oil Emulsions by Light Crude Oil

Yigang Liu (), Jianhua Bai, Peipei Guo, Wei Zhang, Liguo Zhong, Chaohui Lyu, Yi Hao, Mengqi Zhang, Xiaodong Han and Peidong Bi
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Yigang Liu: China National Offshore Oil Corp-Tianjin, Tianjin 300451, China
Jianhua Bai: China National Offshore Oil Corp-Tianjin, Tianjin 300451, China
Peipei Guo: China National Offshore Oil Corp-Tianjin, Tianjin 300451, China
Wei Zhang: China National Offshore Oil Corp-Tianjin, Tianjin 300451, China
Liguo Zhong: China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Chaohui Lyu: China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Yi Hao: China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Mengqi Zhang: China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Xiaodong Han: China National Offshore Oil Corp-Tianjin, Tianjin 300451, China
Peidong Bi: China National Offshore Oil Corp-Tianjin, Tianjin 300451, China

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-18

Abstract: The main objective of this study is to put forward effective schemes for alleviating reservoir choke caused by emulsification or Jamin’s effect using the dilution method by light crude oil, as well as sharply increased viscosity. In this study, water-in-heavy-oil (W/O) emulsions with varying water fractions were prepared with heavy oil from Bohai Bay, China. Mixtures of W/O emulsions and light crude oil samples (light oil and light heavy oil) with varied dilution ratio (1:9, 2:8, 3:7) are tested, respectively by the electron microscope and by the rheometer. W/O droplets’ distribution and viscosity variations are obtained to evaluate the emulsion stability and viscosity reduction effects by dilution. Results show that W/O droplets , size distribution range increases with the increase of water fractions. W/O droplets with larger size tend to be broken first in the dilution process. Light oil could reduce emulsions’ viscosity more effectively than light heavy oil. Viscosity reduction mechanisms by dilution could be concluded as the synergistic effects of dissolving heavy components and weakening oil–water film stability. Therefore, light oil is suggested as the optimal one for solving formation plugging. The poor performance of Richardson model is related to the re-emulsification between free water and crude oil favored by light heavy oil, and demulsification favored by light oil. The modified model shows a significant improvement in prediction accuracy, especially for W/O emulsions with large water fractions. This study demonstrates a promising and practical strategy of solving heavy oil well shutdown problems and viscosity increasing by injecting light crude oil in the thermal stimulation.

Keywords: W/O droplet stability; viscosity reduction by dilution; W/O emulsions; light crude oil; a modified model (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: 2024
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