1
|
Jiang W, Lv W, Jia N, Cheng K, Wan Y, Wang K. Molecular Insights into Soaking in Hybrid N 2-CO 2 Huff-n-Puff: A Case Study of a Single Quartz Nanopore-Hydrocarbon System. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024. [PMID: 38990799 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Hybrid N2-CO2 huff-n-puff (HnP) has been experimentally demonstrated to be a promising approach for improving oil recovery from tight/ultratight shale oil reservoirs. Despite this, the detailed soaking process and interaction mechanisms remain unclear. Adopting molecular dynamic simulations, the soaking behavior of hybrid N2-CO2 HnP was investigated at the molecular and atomic levels. Initially, the soaking process of fluid pressure equilibrium after injection pressure decays in a single matrix nanopore connected to a shale oil reservoir is studied. The study revealed that counter-current and cocurrent displacement processes exist during the CO2 and hybrid N2-CO2 soaking, but cocurrent displacement occurs much later than counter-current displacement. Although the total displacement efficiency of the hybrid N2-CO2 soaking system is lower than that of the CO2 soaking system, the cocurrent displacement initiates earlier in the hybrid N2-CO2 soaking system than in the CO2 soaking system. Moreover, the N2 soaking process is characterized by only counter-current displacement. Next, the soaking process of fluid pressure nonequilibrium before the injection pressure decays is investigated. It was discovered that counter-current and cocurrent displacement processes initiate simultaneously during the CO2, N2, and hybrid N2-CO2 soaking process, but cocurrent displacement exerts a dominant influence. During the CO2 soaking process, many hydrocarbon molecules in the nanopore are dissolved in CO2 while simultaneously exhibiting a substantial retention effect in the nanopore. After pure N2 injection, there is a tendency to form a favorable path of N2 through the oil phase. The injection of hybrid CO2-N2 facilitates the most significant cocurrent displacement effect and the reduction in residual oil retained in the nanopore during the soaking process, thus resulting in the best oil recovery. However, the increase rate in total displacement efficiencies of the different soaking systems over time (especially the hybrid N2-CO2 soaking system) was significantly larger before than after injection pressure decays. Additionally, the displacement effect induced by oil volume swelling is significantly restricted before the injection pressure decays compared to the soaking process after the injection pressure decays. This study explains the role of CO2-induced oil swelling and N2-induced elastic energy played by hybrid N2 and CO2 at different stages of the hybrid N2-CO2 soaking process before and after pressure decays and provides theoretical insights for hybrid gas HnP-enhanced recovery. These pore-scale results highlight the importance of injection pressure and medium composition during the soaking process in unconventional oil reservoirs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wen Jiang
- College of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- Institute of Porous Flow and Fluid Mechanics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Langfang 065007, China
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
| | - Weifeng Lv
- Institute of Porous Flow and Fluid Mechanics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Langfang 065007, China
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil and Gas Recovery, Beijing 100083, China
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
| | - Ninghong Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Enhanced Oil and Gas Recovery, Beijing 100083, China
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
| | - Kai Cheng
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Greenhouse Gas Storage and CO2-EOR Unconventional Petroleum Research Institute, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, P. R. China
| | - Yidi Wan
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
- School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Kai Wang
- College of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
- Institute of Porous Flow and Fluid Mechanics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Langfang 065007, China
- Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration & Development, PetroChina, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Badmos SB, Islam N, Shah U, Striolo A, Cole DR. Competitive adsorption and reduced mobility: N-octane, CO2 and H2S in alumina and graphite pores. Mol Phys 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/00268976.2020.1781944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sakiru B. Badmos
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Naimul Islam
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Urvi Shah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alberto Striolo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| | - David R. Cole
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Liu T, Gautam S, Cole DR, Patankar S, Tomasko D, Zhou W, Rother G. Structure and dynamics of ethane confined in silica nanopores in the presence of CO 2. J Chem Phys 2020; 152:084707. [PMID: 32113366 PMCID: PMC7929619 DOI: 10.1063/1.5134451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Fundamental understanding of the subcritical/supercritical behavior of key hydrocarbon species inside nano-porous matrices at elevated pressure and temperature is less developed compared to bulk fluids, but this knowledge is of great importance for chemical and energy engineering industries. This study explores in detail the structure and dynamics of ethane (C2H6) fluid confined in silica nanopores, with a focus on the effects of pressure and different ratios of C2H6 and CO2 at non-ambient temperature. Quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) experiments were carried out for the pure C2H6, C2H6:CO2 = 3:1, and 1:3 mixed fluids confined in 4-nm cylindrical silica pores at three different pressures (30 bars, 65 bars, and 100 bars) at 323 K. Two Lorentzian functions were required to fit the spectra, corresponding to fast and slow translational motions. No localized motions (rotations and vibrations) were detected. Higher pressures resulted in hindrances of the diffusivity of C2H6 molecules in all systems investigated. Pore size was found to be an important factor, i.e., the dynamics of confined C2H6 is more restricted in smaller pores compared to the larger pores used in previous studies. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to complement the QENS experiment at 65 bars, providing supportive structure information and comparable dynamic information. The simulations indicate that CO2 molecules are more strongly attracted to the pore surface compared to C2H6. The C2H6 molecules interacting with or near the pore surface form a dense first layer (L1) close to the pore surface and a second less dense layer (L2) extending into the pore center. Both the experiments and simulations revealed the role that CO2 molecules play in enhancing C2H6 diffusion ("molecular lubrication") at high CO2:C2H6 ratios. The energy scales of the two dynamic components, fast and slow, quantified by both techniques, are in very good agreement. Herein, the simulations identified the fast component as the main contributor to the dynamics. Molecule motions in the L2 region are mostly responsible for the dynamics (fast and slow) that can be detected by the instrument.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Liu
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, 125 South Oval Mall, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Siddharth Gautam
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, 125 South Oval Mall, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - David R. Cole
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, 125 South Oval Mall, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Sumant Patankar
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, 151 W Woodruff Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - David Tomasko
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, 151 W Woodruff Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Wei Zhou
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
| | - Gernot Rother
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mohammed S, Gadikota G. CO2-Induced displacement and diffusive transport of shale geofluids in silica nanopores of varying sizes. J CO2 UTIL 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcou.2019.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
|
5
|
Fang T, Wang M, Gao Y, Zhang Y, Yan Y, Zhang J. Enhanced oil recovery with CO2/N2 slug in low permeability reservoir: Molecular dynamics simulation. Chem Eng Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2018.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
|
6
|
Gautam S, Le TTB, Rother G, Jalarvo N, Liu T, Mamontov E, Dai S, Qiao ZA, Striolo A, Cole D. Effects of water on the stochastic motions of propane confined in MCM-41-S pores. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2019; 21:25035-25046. [DOI: 10.1039/c9cp04741g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) and molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) reveal the effects of water on the structure and dynamics of propane confined in 1.5 nm wide cylindrical pores of MCM-41-S.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Siddharth Gautam
- School of Earth Sciences
- The Ohio State University
- 275 Mendenhall Laboratory
- 125 S Oval Mall
- Columbus
| | - Tran Thi Bao Le
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- University College London
- London WC1E 7JE
- UK
| | - Gernot Rother
- Chemical Sciences Division
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Oak Ridge
- USA
| | - Niina Jalarvo
- Neutron Science Directorate
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Oak Ridge
- USA
| | - Tingting Liu
- School of Earth Sciences
- The Ohio State University
- 275 Mendenhall Laboratory
- 125 S Oval Mall
- Columbus
| | - Eugene Mamontov
- Neutron Science Directorate
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Oak Ridge
- USA
| | - Sheng Dai
- Chemical Sciences Division
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Oak Ridge
- USA
| | - Zhen-An Qiao
- Chemical Sciences Division
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Oak Ridge
- USA
| | - Alberto Striolo
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- University College London
- London WC1E 7JE
- UK
| | - David Cole
- School of Earth Sciences
- The Ohio State University
- 275 Mendenhall Laboratory
- 125 S Oval Mall
- Columbus
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Le TT, Striolo A. Propane-Water Mixtures Confined within Cylindrical Silica Nanopores: Structural and Dynamical Properties Probed by Molecular Dynamics. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2017; 33:11310-11320. [PMID: 28910531 PMCID: PMC5657426 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b03093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite the multiple length and time scales over which fluid-mineral interactions occur, interfacial phenomena control the exchange of matter and impact the nature of multiphase flow, as well as the reactivity of C-O-H fluids in geologic systems. In general, the properties of confined fluids, and their influence on porous geologic phenomena are much less well understood compared to those of bulk fluids. We used equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to study fluid systems composed of propane and water, at different compositions, confined within cylindrical pores of diameter ∼16 Å carved out of amorphous silica. The simulations are conducted within a single cylindrical pore. In the simulated system all the dangling silicon and oxygen atoms were saturated with hydroxyl groups and hydrogen atoms, respectively, yielding a total surface density of 3.8 -OH/nm2. Simulations were performed at 300 K, at different bulk propane pressures, and varying the composition of the system. The structure of the confined fluids was quantified in terms of the molecular distribution of the various molecules within the pore as well as their orientation. This allowed us to quantify the hydrogen bond network and to observe the segregation of propane near the pore center. Transport properties were quantified in terms of the mean square displacement in the direction parallel to the pore axis, which allows us to extract self-diffusion coefficients. The diffusivity of propane in the cylindrical pore was found to depend on pressure, as well as on the amount of water present. It was found that the propane self-diffusion coefficient decreases with increasing water loading because of the formation of water bridges across the silica pores, at sufficiently high water content, which hinder propane transport. The rotational diffusion, the lifespan of hydrogen bonds, and the residence time of water molecules at contact with the silica substrate were quantified from the simulated trajectories using the appropriate autocorrelation functions. The simulations contribute to a better understanding of the molecular phenomena relevant to the behavior of fluids in the subsurface.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tran Thi
Bao Le
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT United Kingdom
| | - Alberto Striolo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Le T, Striolo A, Turner CH, Cole DR. Confinement Effects on Carbon Dioxide Methanation: A Novel Mechanism for Abiotic Methane Formation. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9021. [PMID: 28827636 PMCID: PMC5566444 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09445-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
An important scientific debate focuses on the possibility of abiotic synthesis of hydrocarbons during oceanic crust-seawater interactions. While on-site measurements near hydrothermal vents support this possibility, laboratory studies have provided data that are in some cases contradictory. At conditions relevant for sub-surface environments it has been shown that classic thermodynamics favour the production of CO2 from CH4, while abiotic methane synthesis would require the opposite. However, confinement effects are known to alter reaction equilibria. This report shows that indeed thermodynamic equilibrium can be shifted towards methane production, suggesting that thermal hydrocarbon synthesis near hydrothermal vents and deeper in the magma-hydrothermal system is possible. We report reactive ensemble Monte Carlo simulations for the CO2 methanation reaction. We compare the predicted equilibrium composition in the bulk gaseous phase to that expected in the presence of confinement. In the bulk phase we obtain excellent agreement with classic thermodynamic expectations. When the reactants can exchange between bulk and a confined phase our results show strong dependency of the reaction equilibrium conversions, [Formula: see text], on nanopore size, nanopore chemistry, and nanopore morphology. Some physical conditions that could shift significantly the equilibrium composition of the reactive system with respect to bulk observations are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thu Le
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Alberto Striolo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - C Heath Turner
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, United States
| | - David R Cole
- School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 43210, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Yan Y, Dong Z, Zhang Y, Wang P, Fang T, Zhang J. CO2 activating hydrocarbon transport across nanopore throat: insights from molecular dynamics simulation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:30439-30444. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cp05759h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In tight oil reservoirs, nanopore throat acting as the narrowest section of fluidic channel determines the oil transport performance; injecting CO2 is found to significantly promote the oil flow.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Youguo Yan
- College of Science, China University of Petroleum
- 266580 Qingdao
- People's Republic of China
| | - Zihan Dong
- College of Science, China University of Petroleum
- 266580 Qingdao
- People's Republic of China
| | - Yingnan Zhang
- College of Science, China University of Petroleum
- 266580 Qingdao
- People's Republic of China
| | - Pan Wang
- College of Science, China University of Petroleum
- 266580 Qingdao
- People's Republic of China
| | - Timing Fang
- College of Science, China University of Petroleum
- 266580 Qingdao
- People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Zhang
- College of Science, China University of Petroleum
- 266580 Qingdao
- People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Striolo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|