Interfacial Tensions of the Crude Oil + Reservoir Brine + CO₂Systems at Pressures up to 31 MPa and Temperatures of 27 °C and 58 °C

Abstract

An experimental technique is developed to measure the interfacial tensions of the crude oil + reservoir brine + CO 2 systems at pressures from (0.1 to 31.4) MPa and two temperatures (27 and 58) °C using the axisymmetric drop shape analysis (ADSA) technique for the pendant drop case. The measured dynamic interfacial tension is gradually reduced to an equilibrium value. For both the reservoir brine + CO 2 system and the crude oil + CO 2 system, the equilibrium interfacial tension decreases as the pressure increases, whereas it increases as the temperature increases. For the reservoir brine + CO 2 system, the interfacial tension data are not available at P g 12.238 MPa and 58 °C because the pendant brine drop cannot be formed in the CO 2 phase. However, for the crude oil + CO 2 system, the equilibrium interfacial tension remains almost constant at P g 8.879 MPa and 27 °C or at P g 13.362 MPa and 58 °C. Under the same conditions, nevertheless, the equilibrium interfacial tension of the crude oil + reservoir brine + CO 2 system is reduced in comparison with that of the crude oil + reservoir brine system. The interfacial tension reduction for the crude oil + reservoir brine + CO 2 system is larger at higher pressures.

Measurement and modelling of interfacial tension in methane/water and methane/brine systems at reservoir conditions

“…Similar to other gas-water systems [5,8,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19], the addition of salt resulted in a general increase of the interfacial tension values over the pressures and temperatures considered, as depicted in Figure 8. Overall, the presence of 5 wt% and 10 wt% NaCl resulted in an average increase of the IFT in 1.4 mN.m -1 and 4.1 mN.m -1 , respectively, when compared to the methanewater IFT.…”

Interfacial tension of CO2 and crude oils under high pressure and temperature

“…Oil mobility can be improved because of CO 2 dissolving in crude oil which causes oil viscosity to be reduced and the oil volume expanded [10]. In the CO 2 flooding processes, flow behavior of crude oil, gas and brine are controlled mainly by the interfacial interactions (interfacial tension; wettability; capillarity and dispersion) among crude oil, reservoir brine, CO 2 and reservoir rocks [11][12][13]. Meanwhile the most important interaction is the interfacial tension because wettability, capillary pressure and dispersion are closely related to interfacial tension under certain condition of pressure and temperature [14][15][16].…”

Evaluation of interfacial mass transfer coefficient as a function of temperature and pressure in carbon dioxide/normal alkane systems

“…These interfacial properties consist of dynamic interfacial tension (IFT) and interfacial mass transfer resistance [19,20]. IFT is a property of the interface which depends on the compositions of two contact phases; therefore it is a function of mass transfer interactions [21,22].…”