Low Interfacial Tension Foam Miscible Ethane Oil Recovery in Low Permeability Harsh Environments

This work presents a laboratory investigation of low interfacial tension miscible ethane foam enhanced oil recovery in low permeability, heterogeneous, harsh environments (<15md, 136,000ppm total dissolved solids with divalent ions, 74°C). Minimum miscibility pressure displacement tests were performed for dead crude oil from the Wolfcamp Spraberry trend area using ethane and carbon dioxide, showing a lower MMP for ethane. A surfactant formulation capable of persistent foams in the presence of oil and Type I microemulsion in reservoir brine was identified to be thermally stable at reservoir conditions. Subsequent foam quality and coreflood displacement tests were conducted to compare the recovery efficiencies of three processes: a) gravity–unstable, miscible ethane foam; b) gravity–stable, miscible ethane, and; c) gravity–unstable, miscible ethane processes.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Petroleum Engineering

Grantor

University of Houston

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Salman, Mohamad

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Kostarelos, Konstantinos

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Dindoruk, Birol
• Palayangoda, Sujeewa
• Soliman, Mohamed Y.

• Petroleum engineering
• Enhanced oil recovery
• Harsh environments
• Miscible
• Gas injection
• Miscible foam injection
• High temperature
• High salinity

Statement dc:rights

• The author of this work is the copyright owner. UH Libraries and the Texas Digital Library have their permission to store and provide access to this work. Further transmission, reproduction, or presentation of this work is prohibited except with permission of the author(s).

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10657/4427

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uh-ir.tdl.org:10657/4427