Experimental characterization and mechanism of hydraulic pulsation waves driving microscopic residual oil

Abstract

To clarify microscopic mechanisms of residual oil displacement by hydraulic pulsation wave, microscopic visualization experiments of hydraulic pulsation wave driving residual oil were carried out by using the microscopic visualization device of pulsating water drive. For the four types of residual oil left in the reservoir after water flooding, i.e. membrane, column, cluster, and blind end residual oils, hydraulic pulsation waves broke the micro-equilibrium of the interface by disturbing the oil-water interface, so that the injected water invaded into and contacted with the remaining oil in small pores and blind holes, and the remaining oil was pushed or stripped to the mainstream channel by deformation superposition effect and then carried out by the injected water. In the displacement, the pulsation frequency mainly affected the cluster and blind end remaining oil, and the hydraulic pulsation wave with a frequency of about 1 Hz had the best effect in improving the recovery. The pulsation amplitude value mainly affected the membrane and column residual oil, and the larger the amplitude value, the more remaining oil the hydraulic pulsation wave would displace. The presence of low intensity continuous flow pressure and holding pressure end pressure promoted the concentration of pulsating energy and greatly improve the recovery of cluster residual oil. The rise in temperature made the hydraulic pulsation wave work better in displacing remaining oil, improving the efficiency of oil flooding.

Keywords

• hydraulic pulsation wave
• microscopic remaining oil
• oil displacement mechanism
• disturbance of oil-water interface
• enhanced oil recovery