Factors Affecting Alkaline Sodium Silicate Gelation for In-Depth Reservoir Profile Modification

Aly A. Hamouda and Hossien A. Akhlaghi Amiri
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Aly A. Hamouda: Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Stavanger, Stavanger 4036, Norway
Hossien A. Akhlaghi Amiri: Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Stavanger, Stavanger 4036, Norway

Energies, 2014, vol. 7, issue 2, 1-23

Abstract: Alkaline sodium silicate (Na-silicate) is environment-friendly and possesses water-like viscosity during the injection stage for in-depth reservoir treatment to enhance sweep efficiency. Gel setting time ( t g ) and gel strength are interrelated. Factors that accelerate t g are Na-silicate content (wt%), low pH, presence of divalent ions and temperature. Pressure drop across the gel accelerates syneresis; however, the gel appeared to remain intact. Presence of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ ions is shown to increase gel strength. With a Na-silicate content of 4.5 wt%, for example, at a pH of 10.3 and a temperature of 20 °C, gel strength almost tripled and was reached about eight times faster at the combined tested concentration of 0.009 M, based on the average effect from the coexistence of both ions. Low-salinity water (LSW) has an ion composition of 25-fold diluted seawater, did not show precipitation, and could accordingly be a candidate for a pre-flush before the injection of a Na-silicate solution in the event of a field application. This is important since LSW for enhancing oil recovery is a popular method in oil industry. A suggested predictive tool (simple graphical method) to estimate the effect of different factors on gelation time and gel strength is presented.

Keywords: sodium silicate; viscosity; gelation time; gel strength; shrinkage; sweep efficiency; pH; temperature; divalent ions (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: 2014
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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