NUMERICAL STUDY OF OIL DISPLACEMENT EFFICIENCY IN BULK MODELS OF POROUS MEDIA

Abstract

Understanding filtration processes in bulk models with controlled pore space geometry is important in terms of selecting an effective agent for enhanced oil recovery. Such models are widely used in research and are idealized two-dimensional porous media, where particles simulate rock grains and the space between the particles is the pores. As part of this work, a numerical and experimental approach to estimate oil displacement efficiency in bulk models of porous media is proposed. One of the special cases of chemical method to increase oil recovery is the use of surfactants and salts, which can lead to the formation of microemulsions at the boundary with formation fluids, which reduces the surface tension coefficient on the interfacial surface by several orders of magnitude. A good agreement between the results of numerical simulation and experimental data is obtained. The efficiency of application of solutions for microemulsions as displacing agents is shown by the example of bulk models.