Performance Comparison of Novel Chemical Agents for Mitigating Water-Blocking Problem in Tight Gas Sandstones

Abstract

Summary Water blocking can be a serious problem, causing a low gas production rate after hydraulic fracturing, a result of the strong capillarity in the tight sandstone reservoir aggravating the spontaneous imbibition. Fortunately, chemicals added to the fracturing fluids can alter the surface properties and thus prevent or reduce the water-blocking issue. We designed a spontaneous imbibition experiment to explore the possibility of using novel chemicals to both mitigate the spontaneous imbibition of water into the tight gas cores and measure the surface tensions (STs) between the air and chemical solutions. A diverse group of chemical species has been experimentally examined in this study, including two anionic surfactants (O242 and O342), a cationic surfactant (C12TAB), an alkaline solution of sodium metaborate (NaBO2), an ionic liquid (BMMIM BF4), two nanofluids with aluminum oxide and silicon oxide (Al2O3 and SiO2, respectively), and a series of deep eutectic solvents (DES3-7, 9, 11, and 14). Experimental results indicate that the anionic surfactants (O242 and O342) contribute to low STs but cannot ease the water-blocking issue because they yield a more water-wet surface. The high pH solution (NaBO2), ionic liquid (BMMIM BF-4), and sodium chloride brine (NaCl) significantly decrease the volume of water imbibed to the tight sandstone core through wettability alteration, and C12TAB leads to both ST reduction and an air-wet rock surface, helping to prevent water blocking. The different types of DESs and nanofluids exhibit distinctly different effects on expelling gas from the tight sandstone cores through water imbibition. This preliminary research will be useful in both selecting and using proper chemicals in fracturing fluids to mitigate water-blocking problems in tight gas sandstones.