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Maiki E, Sun R, Ren S, AlRassas AM. Experimental and Molecular Dynamics Simulation to Investigate Oil Adsorption and Detachment from Sandstone/Quartz Surface by Low-Salinity Surfactant Brines. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:20277-20292. [PMID: 38737054 PMCID: PMC11079901 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c00562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
In this study, we explore the impact of monovalent (NaCl) and divalent (CaCl2) brines, coupled with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant at varying low concentrations, on the detachment and displacement of oil from sandstone rock surfaces. Employing the sessile drop method and molecular dynamics simulations, we scrutinize the behavior of the brine solutions. Our findings reveal that both low salinity and low-salinity surfactant solutions induce a gradual shift in rock wettability toward a more water-wet state. This wettability transformation is not instantaneous but evolves over time, as observed through meticulous molecular motion analyses. Through contact angle measurements and molecular dynamics simulations, we delve into the molecular motion at subpore and micropore scales on sandstone/quartz surfaces. The adsorption of surface-active agents from the oil to the oil-brine interface results in a reduced interfacial tension, significantly contributing to oil displacement. Notably, low salinity concentrations ranging from 1000 to 10,000 ppm exhibit the lowest contact angles within 30 min across all solutions. However, higher concentrations deviate from this declining trend, especially with divalent ions like Ca2+, which bridge polar molecules onto the rock surface, resulting in an increased oil-wetting state. This research unveils the intricate molecular motions involved in employing low-salinity surfactant solutions for oil detachment from surfaces. Furthermore, it provides valuable insights into the underlying forces driving oil detachment and wettability alteration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernest
Peter Maiki
- School of petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China),Qingdao 0086, China
| | - Renyuan Sun
- School of petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China),Qingdao 0086, China
| | - Shaoran Ren
- School of petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China),Qingdao 0086, China
| | - Ayman Mutahar AlRassas
- School of petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China),Qingdao 0086, China
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2
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Lei W, Lu X, Gong W, Wang M. Triggering interfacial instabilities during forced imbibition by adjusting the aspect ratio in depth-variable microfluidic porous media. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2310584120. [PMID: 38048464 PMCID: PMC10723151 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2310584120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a comprehensive description of the aspect ratio impact on interfacial instability in porous media where a wetting liquid displaces a nonwetting fluid. Building on microfluidic experiments, we evidence imbibition scenarios yielding interfacial instabilities and macroscopic morphologies under different depth confinements, which were controlled by aspect ratio and capillary number. We report a phenomenon whereby a smaller aspect ratio of depth-variable microfluidic porous media and lower capillary number trigger interfacial instability during forced imbibition; otherwise, a larger aspect ratio of uniform-depth microfluidic porous media and higher capillary number will suppress the interfacial instability, which seemingly ignored or contradicts conventional expectations with compact and faceted growth during imbibition. Pore-scale theoretical analytical models, numerical simulations, as well as microfluidic experiments were combined for characteristics of microscopic interfacial dynamics and macroscopic displacement results as a function of aspect ratio, depth variation, and capillary number. Our results present a complete dynamic view of the imbibition process over a full range of regimes from interfacial stabilization to destabilization. We predict the mode of imbibition in porous media based on pore-scale interfacial behavior, which fits well with microfluidic experiments. The study provides insights into the role of aspect ratio in controlling interfacial instabilities in microfluidic porous media. The finding provides design or prediction principles for engineered porous media, such as microfluidic devices, membranes, fabric, exchange columns, and even soil and rocks concerning their desired immiscible imbibition behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhai Lei
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm100 44, Sweden
| | - Xukang Lu
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Wenbo Gong
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
| | - Moran Wang
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, China
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
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3
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Ghosh B, Belhaj H, Alhashmi H, Idachaba F, Joshi P, Rahman MM, Haroun M. Standardization of Particle Size for Floating Particle Wettability Measurement for Carbonate Rocks. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:11837-11851. [PMID: 37033837 PMCID: PMC10077568 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c06679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Misrepresentation of the wettability of a reservoir can lead to potentially low ultimate hydrocarbon recovery resulting in substantial economic losses. At the same time, it is impossible to determine the wettability of a reservoir across its length and breadth on a continuous basis using standard procedures. This work presents the development and standardization of a quick, easy, and low-cost wettability measurement method using the adherence tendency of rock particles in the oil or aqueous phase. The most important aspect of this study was establishing the optimum particle size for sustained floatation and balancing the buoyancy and gravity effect. The results show that the particles sink with a larger than optimum particle size because of the gravity effect. Similarly, the particles would float if they are smaller than optimum due to buoyancy and viscosity advantages. A new scale is designed, and the midpoint analysis shows that a 63-90 μm particle size is the ideal size range for the carbonate reservoir's wettability measurements, as the midpoint of the size distribution coincides with the standard Amott-Harvey (A-H) index. However, this size range is found to be wider for oil-wet particles. The floating particle method has several advantages over the established methods once standardized against a reliable process. Not only is the process fast but it can be performed with basic laboratory tools and does not require a high skill set. Most importantly, reliable wettability information can be obtained from drill cuttings and core fragments, enabling the determination of reservoir wettability on a continuum basis and not as a point basis, thus providing a more reliable average value, particularly for heterogeneous and unconsolidated reservoirs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bisweswar Ghosh
- Petroleum
Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hadi Belhaj
- Petroleum
Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates
| | - Huda Alhashmi
- Petroleum
Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates
| | - Francis Idachaba
- University
of North Dakota, Grand
Forks, North Dakota 58202, Canada
| | - Parth Joshi
- Schlumberger
Ltd., Mr., Gurgaon 77042, India
| | - Md. Motiur Rahman
- Petroleum
Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohammed Haroun
- Petroleum
Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab Emirates
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4
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Discrepancy of simulating snap-off processes in 2D and 3D pore-throats. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.129978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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5
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Song W, Prodanović M, Yao J, Zhang K. Nano-scale Wetting Film Impact on Multiphase Transport Properties in Porous Media. Transp Porous Media 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11242-022-01800-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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6
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Determination of the spatial distribution of wetting in the pore networks of rocks. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 613:786-795. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.12.183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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7
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Relationship Between Zeta Potential and Wettability in Porous Media: Insights From a Simple Bundle of Capillary Tubes Model. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 608:605-621. [PMID: 34628321 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.09.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS & MOTIVATION Experimental data suggest a relationship between the macroscopic zeta potential measured on intact rock samples and the sample wettability. However, there is no pore-scale model to quantify this relationship. METHODS We consider the simplest representation of a rock pore space: a bundle of capillary tubes of varying size. Equations describing mass and charge transfer through a single capillary are derived and the macroscopic zeta potential and wettability determined by integrating over capillaries. Model predictions are tested against measured data yielding a good match. FINDINGS Mixed- and oil-wet models return a macro-scale zeta potential that is a combination of the micro-scale zeta potential of mineral-brine and oil-brine interfaces and the relationship between macro-scale zeta potential and water saturation exhibits hysteresis. The model predicts a similar relationship between zeta potential and wettability to that observed in experimental data but does not provide a perfect match. Fitting the model to experimental data allows the oil-brine zeta potential to be estimated at conditions where it cannot be measured directly. Results suggest that positive values of the oil-brine zeta potential may be more common than previously thought with implications for surface complexation models and the design of controlled salinity waterflooding of oil reservoirs.
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8
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Yutkin MP, Radke CJ, Patzek TW. Chemical Compositions in Modified Salinity Waterflooding of Calcium Carbonate Reservoirs: Experiment. Transp Porous Media 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11242-021-01715-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
AbstractModified or low-salinity waterflooding of carbonate oil reservoirs is of considerable economic interest because of potentially inexpensive incremental oil production. The injected modified brine changes the surface chemistry of the carbonate rock and crude oil interfaces and detaches some of adhered crude oil. Composition design of brine modified to enhance oil recovery is determined by labor-intensive trial-and-error laboratory corefloods. Unfortunately, limestone, which predominantly consists of aqueous-reactive calcium carbonate, alters injected brine composition by mineral dissolution/precipitation. Accordingly, the rock reactivity hinders rational design of brines tailored to improve oil recovery. Previously, we presented a theoretical analysis of 1D, single-phase brine injection into calcium carbonate-rock that accounts for mineral dissolution, ion exchange, and dispersion (Yutkin et al. in SPE J 23(01):084–101, 2018. 10.2118/182829-PA). Here, we present the results of single-phase waterflood-brine experiments that verify the theoretical framework. We show that concentration histories eluted from Indiana limestone cores possess features characteristic of fast calcium carbonate dissolution, 2:1 ion exchange, and high dispersion. The injected brine reaches chemical equilibrium inside the porous rock even at injection rates higher than 3.5 $$\times$$
×
10$$^{-3}$$
-
3
m s$$^{-1}$$
-
1
(1000 ft/day). Ion exchange results in salinity waves observed experimentally, while high dispersion is responsible for long concentration history tails. Using the verified theoretical framework, we briefly explore how these processes modify aqueous-phase composition during the injection of designer brines into a calcium-carbonate reservoir. Because of high salinity of the initial and injected brines, ion exchange affects injected concentrations only in high surface area carbonates/limestones, such as chalks. Calcium-carbonate dissolution only affects aqueous solution pH. The rock surface composition is affected by all processes.
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9
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Capturing 3D water layers and water-filled micropores in carbonate rock by high-resolution neutron tomography. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2021.127838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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10
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A Molecular Dynamics Investigation on Methane Flow and Water Droplets Sliding in Organic Shale Pores with Nano-structured Roughness. Transp Porous Media 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11242-021-01685-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
AbstractRoughness of surfaces significantly influences how methane and water flow in shale nanopores. We perform molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the influence of surface roughness on pore-scale transport of pure methane as well as of two-phase methane–water systems with the water sliding as droplets over the pore surface. For single-phase methane flow, surface roughness shows a limited influence on bulk methane density, while it significantly reduces the methane flow capacity. In methane–water systems, the mobility of water is a strong function of surface roughness including a clear transition between immobile and mobile water droplets. For cases with mobile water, droplet sliding speeds were correlated with pressure gradient and surface roughness. Sliding water droplets hardly deform, i.e., there is little difference between their advancing and receding contact angle with structured roughness.
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11
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Ruspini LC, Øren PE, Berg S, Masalmeh S, Bultreys T, Taberner C, Sorop T, Marcelis F, Appel M, Freeman J, Wilson OB. Multiscale Digital Rock Analysis for Complex Rocks. Transp Porous Media 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11242-021-01667-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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12
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Savulescu GC, Rücker M, Scanziani A, Pini R, Georgiadis A, Luckham PF. Atomic force microscopy for the characterisation of pinning effects of seawater micro-droplets in n-decane on a calcite surface. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 592:397-404. [PMID: 33689984 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.02.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Roughness is an important parameter in applications where wetting needs to be characterized. Micro-computed tomography is commonly used to characterize wetting in porous media but the main limitation of this approach is the incapacity to identify nanoscale roughness. Atomic force microscopy, AFM, however, has been used to characterize the topography of surfaces down to the molecular scale. Here we investigate the potential of using AFM to characterize wetting behavior at the nanoscale. EXPERIMENTS Droplets of water on cleaved calcite under decane were imaged using quantitative imaging QI atomic force microscopy where a force-distance curve is obtained at every pixel. FINDINGS When the AFM tip passed through the water droplet surface, an attraction was observed due to capillary effects, such that the thickness of the water film was estimated and hence the profile of the droplet obtained. This enables parameters such as the contact angle and contact angle distribution to be obtained at a nanometer scale. The contact angles around the 3-phase contact line are found to be quasi-symmetrically distributed between 10-30°. A correlation between the height profile of the surface and contact angle distribution demonstrates a quasi-proportional relationship between roughness on the calcite surface and contact angle.
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Affiliation(s)
- G C Savulescu
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - M Rücker
- Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK; Mechanical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
| | - A Scanziani
- Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - R Pini
- Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - A Georgiadis
- Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK; Shell Global Solutions International B.V., 2288 GS Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - P F Luckham
- Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK
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13
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Zankoor A, Khishvand M, Mohamed A, Wang R, Piri M. In-situ capillary pressure and wettability in natural porous media: Multi-scale experimentation and automated characterization using X-ray images. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 603:356-369. [PMID: 34197985 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.06.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Geometrical analyses of pore-scale fluid-fluid-rock interfaces have recently been used for in-situ characterization of capillary pressure and wettability in natural porous media. Nevertheless, more robust techniques and multi-scale, well-characterized experimental data are needed to rigorously validate these techniques and enhance their efficacy when applied to saturated porous media. EXPERIMENTS AND IMAGE ANALYSIS We present two new techniques for automated measurements of in-situ capillary pressure and contact angle, which offer several advancements over previous methodologies. These approaches are methodically validated using synthetic data and X-ray images of capillary rise experiments, and subsequently, applied on pore-scale fluid occupancy maps of a miniature Berea sandstone sample obtained during steady-state drainage and imbibition flow experiments. FINDINGS The results show encouraging agreement between the image-based capillary pressure-saturation function and its macroscopic counterpart obtained from a porous membrane experiment. However, unlike the macroscopic behavior, the micro-scale measurements demonstrate a nonmonotonic increase with saturation due to the intermittency of the pore-scale displacement events controlling the overall flow behavior. This is further explained using the pertinent micro-scale mechanisms such as Haines jumps. The new methods also enable one to generate in-situ contact angle distributions and distinguish between the advancing and receding values while automatically excluding invalid measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Zankoor
- Center of Innovation for Flow through Porous Media, Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
| | - Mahdi Khishvand
- Center of Innovation for Flow through Porous Media, Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Abdelhalim Mohamed
- Center of Innovation for Flow through Porous Media, Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Rui Wang
- Center of Innovation for Flow through Porous Media, Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Mohammad Piri
- Center of Innovation for Flow through Porous Media, Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
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14
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Direct Numerical Simulation of Pore-Scale Trapping Events During Capillary-Dominated Two-Phase Flow in Porous Media. Transp Porous Media 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11242-021-01619-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThis study focuses on direct numerical simulation of imbibition, displacement of the non-wetting phase by the wetting phase, through water-wet carbonate rocks. We simulate multiphase flow in a limestone and compare our results with high-resolution synchrotron X-ray images of displacement previously published in the literature by Singh et al. (Sci Rep 7:5192, 2017). We use the results to interpret the observed displacement events that cannot be described using conventional metrics such as pore-to-throat aspect ratio. We show that the complex geometry of porous media can dictate a curvature balance that prevents snap-off from happening in spite of favourable large aspect ratios. We also show that pinned fluid-fluid-solid contact lines can lead to snap-off of small ganglia on pore walls; we propose that this pinning is caused by sub-resolution roughness on scales of less than a micron. Our numerical results show that even in water-wet porous media, we need to allow pinned contacts in place to reproduce experimental results.
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15
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Armstrong RT, Sun C, Mostaghimi P, Berg S, Rücker M, Luckham P, Georgiadis A, McClure JE. Multiscale Characterization of Wettability in Porous Media. Transp Porous Media 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11242-021-01615-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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16
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Qin Z, Barsotti E, Piri M. Sub-nanometer scale investigation of in situ wettability using environmental transmission electron microscopy. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 593:266-275. [PMID: 33744536 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.02.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Contact angle measurements alongside Young's equation have been frequently used to quantitatively characterize the wettabilities of solid surfaces. In the literature, the Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter models have been proposed to account for surface roughness and chemical heterogeneity, while precursor film models have been developed to account for stress singularity. However, the majority of these models were derived based on theoretical analysis or indirect experimental measurements. We hypothesize that sub-nanometer-scale in situ investigations will elucidate additional complexities that impact wettability characterization. EXPERIMENTS To develop further insights into in situ wettability, we provide the first direct experimental observation of fluid-solid occupancies at three-phase contacts at sub-nanometer resolution, using environmental transmission electron microscopy. FINDINGS Considering the partially spreading phenomenon and capillarity, we provide an improved physics-based interpretation of measuring the sub-nanometer-scale contact angle at the inflection point of the fluid-fluid interface. The difference between this angle and the commonly-used apparent one measured at a lower resolution is also discussed. Furthermore, we provide direct experimental evidence for the density differences between the adsorbed wetting film and the bulk wetting phase. For the effect of surface roughness, the applicability of the Wenzel model is discussed based on the observed in situ solid-fluid occupancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqiang Qin
- Center of Innovation for Flow through Porous Media, Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
| | - Elizabeth Barsotti
- Center of Innovation for Flow through Porous Media, Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Mohammad Piri
- Center of Innovation for Flow through Porous Media, Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
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17
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Yiotis A, Karadimitriou NK, Zarikos I, Steeb H. Pore-scale effects during the transition from capillary- to viscosity-dominated flow dynamics within microfluidic porous-like domains. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3891. [PMID: 33594146 PMCID: PMC7886905 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83065-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
We perform a numerical and experimental study of immiscible two-phase flows within predominantly 2D transparent PDMS microfluidic domains with disordered pillar-like obstacles, that effectively serve as artificial porous structures. Using a high sensitivity pressure sensor at the flow inlet, we capture experimentally the pressure dynamics under fixed flow rate conditions as the fluid–fluid interface advances within the porous domain, while also monitoring the corresponding phase distribution patterns using optical microscopy. Our experimental study covers 4 orders of magnitude with respect to the injection flow rate and highlights the characteristics of immiscible displacement processes during the transition from the capillarity-controlled interface displacement regime at lower flow rates, where the pores are invaded sequentially in the form of Haines jumps, to the viscosity-dominated regime, where multiple pores are invaded simultaneously. In the capillary regime, we recover a clear correlation between the recorded inlet pressure and the pore-throat diameter invaded by the interface that follows the Young–Laplace equation, while during the transition to the viscous regime such a correlation is no longer evident due to multiple pore-throats being invaded simultaneously (but also due to significant viscous pressure drop along the inlet and outlet channels, that effectively mask capillary effects). The performed experimental study serves for the validation of a robust Level-Set model capable of explicitly tracking interfacial dynamics at sub-pore scale resolutions under identical flow conditions. The numerical model is validated against both well-established theoretical flow models, that account for the effects of viscous and capillary forces on interfacial dynamics, and the experimental results obtained using the developed microfluidic setup over a wide range of capillary numbers. Our results show that the proposed numerical model recovers very well the experimentally observed flow dynamics in terms of phase distribution patterns and inlet pressures, but also the effects of viscous flow on the apparent (i.e. dynamic) contact angles in the vicinity of the pore walls. For the first time in the literature, this work clearly shows that the proposed numerical approach has an undoubtable strong potential to simulate multiphase flow in porous domains over a wide range of Capillary numbers.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Yiotis
- School of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Greece
| | - N K Karadimitriou
- Institute of Mechanics (CE), University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - I Zarikos
- Environmental Research Laboratory, National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos', Agia Paraskevi, Greece.
| | - H Steeb
- Institute of Mechanics (CE), University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.,Stuttgart Center for Simulation Technology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
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18
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Singh D, Roy S, Pant HJ, Phirani J. Solid-fluid interfacial area measurement for wettability quantification in multiphase flow through porous media. Chem Eng Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2020.116250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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19
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Tetteh JT, Brady PV, Barati Ghahfarokhi R. Review of low salinity waterflooding in carbonate rocks: mechanisms, investigation techniques, and future directions. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2020; 284:102253. [PMID: 32937213 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2020.102253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
This review analyses the fundamental thermodynamic theory of the crude oil-brine-rock (COBR) interface and the underlying rock-brine and oil-brine interactions. The available data are then reviewed to outline potential mechanisms responsible for increased oil recovery from low salinity waterflooding (LSWF). We propose an approach to studying LSWF and identify the key missing links that are needed to explain observations at multiple length scales. The synergistic effect of LSWF on other chemical enhanced oil recovery methods such as surfactant, alkaline, nanoparticle and polymer flooding are also outlined. We specifically highlight key uncertainties that must be overcome to fully implement the technique in the field.
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20
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Badizad MH, Koleini MM, Hartkamp R, Ayatollahi S, Ghazanfari MH. How do ions contribute to brine-hydrophobic hydrocarbon Interfaces? An in silico study. J Colloid Interface Sci 2020; 575:337-346. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.04.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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21
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Pal N, Verma A, Ojha K, Mandal A. Nanoparticle-modified gemini surfactant foams as efficient displacing fluids for enhanced oil recovery. J Mol Liq 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2020.113193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Surrogate Models for Studying the Wettability of Nanoscale Natural Rough Surfaces Using Molecular Dynamics. ENERGIES 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/en13112770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
A molecular modeling methodology is presented to analyze the wetting behavior of natural surfaces exhibiting roughness at the nanoscale. Using atomic force microscopy, the surface topology of a Ketton carbonate is measured with a nanometer resolution, and a mapped model is constructed with the aid of coarse-grained beads. A surrogate model is presented in which surfaces are represented by two-dimensional sinusoidal functions defined by both an amplitude and a wavelength. The wetting of the reconstructed surface by a fluid, obtained through equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, is compared to that observed by the different realizations of the surrogate model. A least-squares fitting method is implemented to identify the apparent static contact angle, and the droplet curvature, relative to the effective plane of the solid surface. The apparent contact angle and curvature of the droplet are then used as wetting metrics. The nanoscale contact angle is seen to vary significantly with the surface roughness. In the particular case studied, a variation of over 65° is observed between the contact angle on a flat surface and on a highly spiked (Cassie–Baxter) limit. This work proposes a strategy for systematically studying the influence of nanoscale topography and, eventually, chemical heterogeneity on the wettability of surfaces.
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A New Framework to Quantify the Wetting Behaviour of Carbonate Rock Surfaces Based on the Relationship between Zeta Potential and Contact Angle. ENERGIES 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/en13040993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This study introduces a new framework to quantify the wettability of powdered carbonate rock from existing correlations between zeta potential and contact angle. The new framework has the potential to be faster and cheaper than conventional approaches and could increase confidence in surface wetting quantification, since the results are insensitive to the inherent heterogeneity of rock surfaces. The obtained results from experiments were used to develop a set of equations for determining the carbonate rock contact angle from streaming potential data. The equations were validated for the evaluation of changes in the wettability of carbonate rock using different stearic acid oily solutions. The contact angles calculated from the proposed equations were then compared with measured values on the calcite surface. The results show that the proposed framework was able to quantify the wettability of carbonate rock with an acceptable range of error of about 4%–14%.
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