Oil Displacement Performance Using Bilayer-Coating Microspheres

Abstract

We systematically investigate the plugging performance and oil-displacement efficiency of the novel bilayer-coating microspheres (BCMS) designed for in-depth conformance control within heterogeneous hydrocarbon reservoirs. Visualization experiments on various glass models, as well as one- and two-phase core floods have been carried out at reservoir temperature and fluid salinity. Our results demonstrate that the rigid outer layer of BCMS can successfully protect its adhesive inner coating, enabling BCMS to transport deeply into porous media. Increasing particle concentration yields higher collision probability, leading to the formation of particle assembly that could effectively block pore throats in high-permeability channels and achieve more oil recovery in the low-permeability zones. It is also shown that as the BCMS slug size increases, the oil recovery asymptotically reaches a maximum value. A larger slug size cannot highly enhance the plugging performance yet significantly increase the resistance factor. A smaller permeability ratio of parallel cores leads to a narrower difference between the fractional flow rates. When the permeability ratio is two or lower, the fractional flow rates of parallel cores are both around 50%, yielding the best oil-displacement efficiency. BCMS exhibits promising application potential in production enhancement under reservoir conditions.

Experimental and Computational Fluid Dynamics Investigation of Mechanisms of Enhanced Oil Recovery via Nanoparticle-Surfactant Solutions

“…Thus, a black liquid was formed as the NPS slug interacted with the resident oil, confirming the emulsification entrainment phenomenon (Figure b). Similar observations have been reported in previous research. − The residual oil to be mobilized by the NPS solution is emulsified and entrained into the flowing NPS solutions to form a more stable and continuous front serving as a secondary displacing fluid for the oil locked in the rock pores.…”

Profile Control Using Fly Ash Three-Phase Foam Assisted by Microspheres with an Adhesive Coating

“…Sci. 2021, 11, 3616 3 of 16 [41,42]. These MCL particles have been substantiated to be efficient in plugging high-permeability channels in porous media [43].…”

“…The thickness of the adhesive outer layer is about 1.5 µm. A series of MCL with a broad range of bonding temperatures can be produced by modifying the ratio of cardanol and phenolic resin as well as the reaction temperature [41,42]. These MCL particles have been substantiated to be efficient in plugging high-permeability channels in porous media [43].…”

The Hole Sealing Technology of Solid–Liquid Materials with Three Pluggings and Two Injections for Gas Extraction Hole in the Coal Mine

“…Therefore, it has become the most widely used sealing material . Barkman and Abrams proposed the famous one-third rule: the particles with sizes equal to or larger than 1/3 of the mean pore size can virtually plug cracks, namely the “3D principle” . Due to the large particle size of the existing CB material, it is difficult to plug the fine cracks of coal strata.…”

“… 25 Barkman and Abrams proposed the famous one-third rule: the particles with sizes equal to or larger than 1/3 of the mean pore size can virtually plug cracks, namely the “3D principle”. 26 Due to the large particle size of the existing CB material, it is difficult to plug the fine cracks of coal strata. In addition, the material can easily form damage cracks under the condition of dynamic deformation of the borehole surrounding rock, which results in the decrease of the gas extraction concentration.…”