Critical factors in the design of cost-effective alkaline flooding.

摘要

A review of major alkaline flooding projects highlights the recognized fact that alkali consumption and scale formation are serious deterrents when strong alkalis are used. The review also confirms that there are several mechanisms of oil mobilization besides reducing interfacial tension. Even oils of low acid number may be amenable to alkaline flooding. Moreover, alkalis in a lower pH range - which have minimal reaction with reservoir minerals - can often mobilize oil, especially when enhanced with a low concentration of surfactant. However, the future of alkaline flooding depends critically on improved reservoir analysis, which includes factors that have often been neglected: (1) thorough mineralogical analysis; (2) evaluation of ion-exchange properties; and (3) assessment of carbon dioxide content. An evaluation of high-pH alkaline flooding field tests over the past 60 years shows that the majority of tests did not produce encouraging results. Laboratory and limited field experience with lower pH alkalis suggests that they may be more feasible in selected cases. Alkaline flooding should be rejected if there is as much as 1% gypsum in the rock or as much as 1 mol % CO(sub 2) in the fluid. Otherwise, a flood at moderate pH (around 10) can be considered for low-kaolinite reservoirs. For low-montmorillonite reservoirs with less than 5 meq divalent exchange ions per kg of rock, a very low pH (around 8.5) may be effective when enhanced with surfactant. 55 refs., 3 tabs.