PUBLISHED PAPERS #01.05
| Elnur Alizade. Investigation of Chemical Mechanisms of Enhanced Oil Recovery by Salinity Variation in Oil-Wet Reservoirs |
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| Abstract. Waterflooding is a widely used enhanced oil recovery technique. However, in oil-wet reservoirs, high water mobility can hinder oil production. This research investigates the effects of high and low salinity waterfloods on oil recovery and water mobility in such reservoirs, also examining the impact on wettability alteration and salt production. The chemical mechanism involves ion exchange and multicomponent ionic diffusion, which promote favorable wettability alteration. A three-dimensional, two-phase (water and oil) model of an initially oil-wet reservoir was developed. Relative permeability curves, generated during simulations, demonstrated wettability changes. Comparing high and low salinity waterfloods assessed the impact of salinity on oil production, water mobility, and salt production. A sensitivity analysis of two injection well patterns—five-spot and direct line drive—was conducted to determine the optimal injection strategy. Low salinity waterflooding achieved approximately 80% recovery, with a cumulative oil production of 0.45 MMSTB. This approach significantly prolonged the water cut and reduced salt production at the production well. The results demonstrate that lowering injection water salinity is an effective strategy for enhancing oil recovery in oil-wet reservoirs. This technique mitigates the negative impacts of high-water mobility, alters wettability favorably, and minimizes salt production, leading to substantially improved oil recovery. |
| Keywords: waterflooding, wettability, permeability, salinity, simulation, production |
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| DOI: https://doi.org/10.30546/MaCoSEP2025.076 |