Experimental Investigation on the Application of Biological Enzymes for EOR in Shale Formations

Salahshoor, Shadi; Gómez, Sergio; Fahes, Mashhad

doi:10.15530/urtec-2019-1117

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…The recent literature has demonstrated that it is possible to alter the oil-wet shale to mixed or water-wet by utilizing chemical additives. ,,,− To illustrate the mechanism after wettability alteration, the water-wet shale model described above was utilized in this section. Figure plots the block properties from FI with 3000 psi soaking pressure in a water-wet large shale model described above.…”

Section: Numerical Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Pressure on Imbibition in Shale Oil Reservoirs with Wettability Considered

Sheng

2020

Energy Fuels

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Recent studies indicate that there is a great potential for enhanced oil recovery in shale oil reservoirs by altering the matrix wetness to induce spontaneous imbibition. The most common method is to add surfactant additives in fracturing fluid during multistage hydraulic fracturing operation. This imbibition process has complex pressure systems involved such as reservoir pore pressure, wellbore hydrostatic pressure, and surface pumping pressure. Without the wells being soaked intentionally, this pressurized state may be sustained for more than a month before flowback. Therefore, it is important to study the effect of pressure on the imbibition-induced oil recovery enhancement and its mechanism. In this study, we conducted forced imbibition tests on core plugs of unconventional sandstone, carbonate, and shale with different wettabilities. The applied pressures were 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, and 5000 psi, and the results were compared to those of spontaneous imbibition under atmospheric pressure. Experimental results were used further in the numerical simulation study. The results manifested that a more water-wet state is still essential to improve the oil recovery regardless of the soaking pressure. When the rock is oil-wet, higher soaking pressure does not further worsen imbibition because of the minimal negative capillary pressure when oil saturation is high. However, when the rock is water-wet, the soaking pressures can be adverse to the imbibition in shale formations because of a longer pressure transient time which is against the capillary force. Dimensionless pressure (p D ) is defined in this study to quantitatively determine the extent of imbibition inhibition during the forced imbibition. This observation indicated that in tight reservoirs, a higher soaking pressure will obtain less oil recovery from imbibition than that of lower soaking pressure cases at a given time.

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Section: Numerical Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Pressure on Imbibition in Shale Oil Reservoirs with Wettability Considered

Sheng

2020

Energy Fuels

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“…There have also been studies on the potential of enzyme EOR for low-permeability tight formations characterized by oil recovery below 10% ( Salahshoor et al, 2018 ). Using spontaneous imbibition tests, Salahshoor et al (2019 ) examined two Berea sandstone outcrops and eight Woodford shale outcrops for enzyme EOR (EEOR). An enzyme solution with 10 wt.% concentration was compared with deionized water imbibition to determine oil recovery results in sandstone and shale.…”

Section: Enzyme Applications In the Oil And Gas Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of Enzyme-Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation Applicability in the Oil and Gas Industry

Alarifi

Mustafa

Omarov

et al. 2022

Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.

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Enzyme-induced calcium carbonate precipitation (EICP) techniques are used in several disciplines and for a wide range of applications. In the oil and gas industry, EICP is a relatively new technique and is actively used for enhanced oil recovery applications, removal of undesired chemicals and generating desired chemicals in situ, and plugging of fractures, lost circulation, and sand consolidation. Many oil- and gas-bearing formations encounter the problem of the flow of sand grains into the wellbore along with the reservoir fluids. This study offers a detailed review of sand consolidation using EICP to solve and prevent sand production issues in oil and gas wells. Interest in bio-cementation techniques has gained a sharp increase recently due to their sustainable and environmentally friendly nature. An overview of the factors affecting the EICP technique is discussed with an emphasis on the in situ reactions, leading to sand consolidation. Furthermore, this study provides a guideline to assess sand consolidation performance and the applicability of EICP to mitigate sand production issues in oil and gas wells.

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“…Furthermore, the potential of enzyme EOR has been investigated in low permeability tight formation usually characterised by oil recovery that is less than 10% [73]. In the study of Salahshoor et al [74], enzyme EOR investigation was conducted on two Berea sandstone and eight Woodford shale outcrops in spontaneous imbibition tests. Oil recovery from enzyme solution imbibition was compared with deionized water imbibition and their results showed that enzyme solution with 10 wt.% concentration recovered 50% and 10-20% oil relative to deionized water in sandstone and shale respectively.…”

Section: Laboratory Experiments On Enzyme Eormentioning

confidence: 99%

Potentials of Enzyme Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Review

Udoh¹,

Evangelista²

2020

PSE

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In this paper, the progresses of understanding of the enzymes application in hydrocarbon production from extensive experimental and field studies are reviewed. Enzyme enhanced oil recovery is an emerging method of improving oil production in an environmentally friendly way, but the mechanisms underlying this process are not clearly understood. Also, detailed studies on enzyme enhanced oil recovery applications are not readily available. From the comprehensive review carried out in this study, we observed that most of the works done on enzyme enhanced oil recovery processes were not properly detailed and the different experimental procedures adopted makes coherent understanding of the process difficult. Evident however in all the studies from the laboratory experiments and field applications, is the capacity of enzyme to improve oil production from both sandstone and carbonate rocks. Also, we have identified and highlighted the physicochemical properties of the enzymes commonly used for enhanced oil recovery and their effects on oil recovery process in order to improve the understanding of their applicability in relevant hydrocarbon reservoir. Furthermore, the challenges and future research directions for enzyme enhanced oil recovery applications have been pinpointed in this study. Having unfold the enhanced oil recovery potential of enzyme, a clarion call is thereby made for deeper studies on this emerging method of improving oil production. This study is relevant to the design and application of enzyme enhanced oil recovery process in both carbonate and sandstone reservoirs.

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Experimental Investigation on the Application of Biological Enzymes for EOR in Shale Formations

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Effect of Pressure on Imbibition in Shale Oil Reservoirs with Wettability Considered

Effect of Pressure on Imbibition in Shale Oil Reservoirs with Wettability Considered

A Review of Enzyme-Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation Applicability in the Oil and Gas Industry

Potentials of Enzyme Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Review

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