Insight into the Synergic Effect of Ultrasonic Waves, SDS Surfactant, and Silica Nanoparticles on Wettability Alteration of Carbonate Rocks

Abstract

The impact of ultrasonic radiation, as an emerging enhanced oil recovery technique, on reservoir fluid properties is of great importance in petroleum engineering. Although the effect of sonication on fluid properties has been widely investigated, the wettability alteration of carbonate rocks via different solutions under ultrasonic radiation has not been considered. In this study, the synergic impact of ultrasonic radiation on the wettability alteration of carbonate rocks was studied by using distilled water, seawater, SDS surfactant, silica nanoparticles, and SDS surfactant-silica nanoparticles solutions. Variance analysis showed that all parameters under ultrasonic radiation, including types of water, surfactant solution, nanoparticles, sonication time, and temperature, were meaningful and had influences on the wettability alteration. The contact angle decreased notably by raising the temperature and sonication time. Ultrasonic waves improved the elimination of chemisorbed fatty acids on the surface, and this could be one of the mechanisms of wettability alteration by the ultrasonic application.

The Utilization of Ultrasound for Improving Oil Recovery and Formation Damage Remediation in Petroleum Reservoirs: Review of Most Recent Researches

“…The synergic influence of ultrasound on carbonate rock wettability change was examined, employing distilled water, saltwater, sodium dodecyl sulfate, silica nanomaterials, and SDS surfactant-silica nanomaterials mixtures [18]. The results of variance analysis showed that the wettability change was impacted by a variety of factors under the influence of ultrasound, such as the type of water used, nanomaterials, surfactant solution, length of sonication, and temperature.…”

“…The contact angle is reduced even further as the temperature is raised. Cavitation, capillary pressure, and interfacial tension reductions were reported to be possible mechanisms of wettability change of the rock under ultrasonic irradiation [18].…”