Abstract
Several researchers have proposed that mobility control mechanisms can positively contribute to oil recovery in the case of emulsions generated in Enhanced-Oil Recovery (EOR) operations. Chemical EOR techniques that use alkaline components or/and surfactants are known to produce undesirable emulsions that create operational problems and are difficult to break. Other water-based methods have been less studied in this sense. EOR processes such as polymer flooding and LoSalTM injection require adjustments of water chemistry, mainly by lowering the ionic strength of the solution or by decreasing hardness. The decreased ionic strength of EOR solutions can give rise to more stable water-in-oil emulsions, which are speculated to improve mobility ratio between the injectant and the displaced oil. The first step toward understanding the connection between the emulsions and EOR mechanisms is to show that EOR conditions, such as salinity and hardness requirements, among others, are conducive to stabilizing emulsions. In order to do this, adequate stability proxies are required. This paper reviews commonly used emulsion stability proxies and explains the advantages and disadvantage of methods reviewed. This paper also reviews aqueous-based EOR processes with focus on heavy oil to contextualize in-situ emulsion stabilization conditions. This context sets the basis for comparison of emulsion stability proxies.
Highlights
This succinct review concentrates on crude oil-water emulsions stability proxies in the context of enhanced-oil recovery (EOR)
If emulsions can act as mobility control agents, as hypothesized in this article, physicochemical conditions arising from injection of EOR fluid slugs into reservoirs are of the upmost relevance, if these conditions favor emulsion formation and stabilization
We have reviewed a variety of methods to determine emulsions stability
Summary
This succinct review concentrates on crude oil-water emulsions stability proxies in the context of enhanced-oil recovery (EOR). If emulsions can act as mobility control agents, as hypothesized in this article, physicochemical conditions arising from injection of EOR fluid slugs into reservoirs are of the upmost relevance, if these conditions favor emulsion formation and stabilization. Emulsions naturally arise in oilfield operations and understanding of stabilizing mechanisms is important [1]. Continuous phase viscosity plays an important role in this regard, we concentrate on interfacial controls. Two groups of naturally occurring agents are discussed here. Due to their importance, emulsions stabilized by particles are reviewed first. Emulsions stabilized by particles are reviewed first These correspond to the so-called Pickering emulsions [25]. The second type of agents is linked to organic fractions of the crude oil, namely asphaltenes, resins and organic acids
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