Waterflooding injectate design systems and methods
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsPatrick V. Brady, James L. Krumhansl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of recovering a liquid hydrocarbon using an injectate includes recovering the liquid hydrocarbon through primary extraction. Physico-chemical data representative of electrostatic interactions between the liquid hydrocarbon and the reservoir rock are measured. At least one additive of the injectate is selected based on the physico-chemical data. The method includes recovering the liquid hydrocarbon from the reservoir rock through secondary extraction using the injectate.
Claims8
A method of designing an injectate for recovering a liquid hydrocarbon from a reservoir rock, comprising:
- measuring physico-chemical data representative of electrostatic interactions between the liquid hydrocarbon and the reservoir rock;
- selecting a composition of the injectate based on the physico-chemical data, wherein the composition comprises at least one additive, or at least one removable component, or both;
- preparing the injectate by mixing water with the at least one additive, or by removing a portion of the at least one removable component from the water, or both;
- estimating an extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon in response to the injectate;
- and
- designing the injectate to decrease the extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon;
- wherein estimating the extent of sorption comprises:
- preparing an oil sample that is representative of the liquid hydrocarbon;
- measuring a baseline color of the oil sample;
- preparing a mixture of the oil sample, the injectate, and connate water;
- allowing the mixture to equilibrate;
- measuring an equilibrium color of the mixture;
- and
- comparing the baseline color to the equilibrium color to estimate the extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon.
A method of selecting an injectate for recovering a liquid hydrocarbon from a reservoir rock, comprising:
- preparing a plurality of injectates by mixing water with at least one additive, or by removing a portion of at least one removable component from the water, or both;
- estimating an extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon in response to each injectate of the plurality of injectates;
- and
- selecting a candidate injectate from the plurality of injectates based on a desired sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon;
- wherein estimating the extent of sorption comprises:
- preparing an oil sample that is representative of the liquid hydrocarbon;
- preparing a mixture of the oil sample, the injectate, and connate water;
- separating the oil sample from the injectate and connate water;
- washing the oil sample with a solvent;
- measuring a concentration of dissolved solids within the solvent;
- and
- estimating the extent of sorption between the reservoir rock and the liquid hydrocarbon using the concentration of dissolved solids;
- and
- wherein the oil sample comprises bitumen;
- and
- wherein preparing the oil sample comprises crushing the bitumen into a powder form.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.