Research on oil displacement mechanism in conglomerate using CT scanning method

Abstract

Taking the conglomerate from Xinjiang Oilfield as study object, the porosity distribution characteristics of the conglomerate were analyzed with CT scanning; through the online monitoring of the water and polymer flooding process in a conglomerate core using an CT scanning system, the saturation profile along the core and the CT reconstructed images of core section during the displacing process were obtained; oil displacement mechanism was analyzed according to a new characterization parameter, “oil saturation frequency distribution”. The results show that the conglomerate has strong heterogeneity, resulting in “dominant channels”, and in turn ineffective water circulation and low water flooding oil recovery, moreover, the oil in high oil saturation area is produced first. In polymer flooding, the oil in high and medium oil saturation areas can be produced but the oil in low oil saturation areas still cannot be produced. Oil produced in the subsequent water flooding is still mainly from the high oil saturation areas. For conglomerate reservoirs, previous water flooding should reach as high water cut as possible so as to strengthen the slug effect of the polymer. Meanwhile the injection volume of polymer should be reduced, and a subsequent water flooding should be used to push the polymer slug to produce oil.