Dynamical surface affinity of diphasic liquids as a probe of wettability of multimodal porous media

Abstract

We introduce a method for estimating the wettability of rock/oil/brine systems using noninvasive in situ nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion. This technique scans over a large range of applied magnetic fields and yields unique information about the extent to which a fluid is dynamically correlated with a solid rock surface. Unlike conventional transverse relaxation studies, this approach is a direct probe of the dynamical surface affinity of fluids. To quantify these features we introduce a microscopic dynamical surface affinity index which measures the dynamical correlation (i.e., the microscopic wettability) between the diffusive fluid and the fixed paramagnetic relaxation sources at the pore surfaces. We apply this method to carbonate reservoir rocks which are known to hold about two thirds of the world's oil reserves. Although this nondestructive method concerns here an application to rocks, it could be generalized as an in situ liquid/surface affinity indicator for any multimodal porous medium including porous biological media.