Comprehensive analysis of the effect of reservoir key parameters on the efficacy of DTPA chelating agent in minimizing interfacial tension and enhanced oil recovery

Abstract

Chelating agents reduce the salinity of seawater (SW) and mimic low salinity water (LSW) by binding metal ions in the solution and on the rock surface. This process decreases SW dilution costs and prevents scale formation while improving oil recovery without damaging the reservoir. This study investigates the impact of Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) chelating agent on the reduction of interfacial tension (IFT) between oil and SW, without the use of additional chemicals. For the first time, we comprehensively analyzed how reservoir key parameters (concentration, salinity, temperature, and pH) affect the performance of DTPA in reducing IFT. Additionally, rock wettability alteration and sand pack flooding experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of DTPA on rock wettability and oil recovery. The results revealed that increasing the temperature to 75 °C and the concentration of DTPA to 5 wt% resulted in an IFT reduction to less than 1 mN/m, making the oil miscible in the DTPA solution. Salinity studies demonstrated that by increasing the solution salinity up to the optimal level, the IFT of oil/brine decreased. Furthermore, using 5 wt% DTPA solution altered the rock/oil contact angle from 143° (oil-wet) to 23° (strongly water-wet), highlighting the effect of DTPA on rock wettability alteration. Based on these findings, 5 wt% DTPA was selected as the optimal concentration, resulting in an increase in oil recovery up to 20.3% of original oil in place (OOIP) after SW injection. Elemental analysis of DTPA flooding effluent also confirmed the chelation of metal ions from rock and solution.