Study and determination of regularities in variability of oil rheological properties to enhance oil recovery

Abstract

The processes of oil production, collection and treatment are complicated by a complex of problems associated with the formation of stable oil emulsions, deposits of asphalt-resin substances and paraffinic hydrocarbons, inorganic salts. Moreover, the formed sediments often have a complex blend composition. Especially, at the late stage of oil field development, as a rule, procedures of gathering and processing of oil are complicated, in particular, by wall mud cake, low pressure, and also by an increase in the water cut of the product, with an increase in the volume of chemicals used during repair works and for production stimulation. Under these conditions, it becomes relevant to determine the regularities in changes of the rheological properties of oil to prevent complications in pumping equipment and flow strings, pipelines, equipment, and tank farm of oil gathering systems. The use of ultrasonic waves in electrophysical advanced recovery has a number of advantages, including simple and fast application, protection from wellbore damage, high profitability, low operating costs, significant compatibility with other enhanced oil recovery methods, and widespread application. This paper provides a technical and economic assessment of the effectiveness of electrophysical stimulation in the production field in Western Kazakhstan. The use of electrophysical stimulation technology in the production fields shows high technological efficiency. A decrease in the oil viscosity in a bottomhole zone of a production well during the use of ultrasound leads to an increase in the flood front during the water-driven operation of the reservoir. This matter was addressed in the present paper.