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An atomistic insight into the implications of ion-tuned water injection in wetting preferences of carbonate reservoirs

Koleini, M.M ; Sharif University of Technology | 2019

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  1. Type of Document: Article
  2. DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2019.111530
  3. Publisher: Elsevier B.V , 2019
  4. Abstract:
  5. The efficiency of water flooding methods is known to improve by applying ion-tuned water injection. Although there is a consensus that such improvement happens through reversing reservoir wettability characteristics to more water-wet state, the true impact of ions is still ambiguous among contradictory debates. The well-known molecular dynamics (MD) simulation techniques would shed light on such ambiguities to gain deep atomic-scale understanding of the process. Results from MD simulations show that the presence of Na+ and Cl¯ ions leads to the formation of an electrical double layer in adjacency of calcite surface while Mg2+ ions dominantly make complexes with hydrocarbons throughout the bulk. Such complexations enhance interactions between oil components at lower concentrations of Mg2+ and as a result hydrocarbons aggregate in the bulk far away from the interface. The increase of Mg2+ concentration along with a decrease in Na+ ions leads to the aggregation of hydrocarbons within closer areas to substrate beyond the electrical double layer. © 2019 Elsevier B.V
  6. Keywords:
  7. Ion-tuned water injection ; Molecular dynamics simulation ; Calcite ; Hydrocarbons ; Molecular dynamics ; Wetting ; Calcite surface ; Carbonate reservoir ; Electrical double layers ; MD simulation ; Molecular dynamics simulations ; Oil components ; Reservoir wettability ; Wettability alteration ; Ions
  8. Source: Journal of Molecular Liquids ; Volume 293 , 2019 ; 01677322 (ISSN)
  9. URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167732219334609