Abstract
ABSTRACT The mechanisms of oil recovery by solution gas drive and by gas injection have been studied. The flow visualisation experiments were performed in a high pressure heterogeneous micromodel reproduced from real rock micrographs. The micromodel was also employed in series with a compatible glass bead pack. Pressure depletion and displacement experiments by methane, propane and water flooding were conducted on a live North Sea crude. The video observations and the measurements made are reported. The pore level investigation of solution gas drive revealed the mechanisms of nucleation, and the growth of gas bubbles at different pressure levels. The spontaneous movements of large bubble-oil interfaces contribute to the oil recovery process during the early stages of production. The recovery mechanisms at the higher gas saturations were found to be similar to the immiscible gas drive behaviour observed with experiments of methane injection at low capillary numbers. The asphaltenes flocculation under dynamic conditions of oil displacement was studied by propane slug injection. The miscible displacement of oil by propane did not induce any significant asphaltene precipitation within the pores.
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