Pore-Level Observations of an Alkali-Induced Mild O/W Emulsion Flooding for Economic Enhanced Oil Recovery

The depression of the current global oil market makes the majority of chemical EOR projects worldwide nearly unprofitable, especially in China. Therefore, economic alternative methods and technologies must be quickly developed. This proof of concept research evaluates a chemical flooding method using pre-formed mild O/W emulsions, which were produced by saponification between a low-cost alkali (NaOH) and a petroleum acid-rich oil. Our focus was first given to the dynamics of the saponification with an aim to quantify alkali consumption. Afterward, the composition of the crude oil before and after the reaction was characterized using a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR MS) to determine the preferred compounds in saponification. The physiochemical properties of the generated emulsions were further investigated through direct measurements of rheology, morphology, particle size distribution, and stability. Particular attention was placed on the oil displacement mechanisms of the emulsions at pore level. The results showed that fatty acids, naphthenic acids, and aromatic acids were clearly partitioned on the FT-ICR MS spectra of the crude oil, while the C16 and C18 fatty acids (DBE = 1, DBE represents equivalent double bond number) were predominantly saponified, which accordingly produced mild O/W emulsions (pH approximate to 7.0). The viscosity, morphology, and stability of the emulsions were found to strongly depend on the oil-water ratio. The displacement dynamics of three stable emulsions observed in a visual micromodel revealed that the O/W emulsion flooding can enlarge the sweep area and also notably reduce the residual oil saturation when employed as an EOR mode. Emulsification/entrainment, blocking, and stripping were three dominant pore level driving forces for this emulsion flooding. Phase inverse from O/W to W/O occurred when the emulsion of O/W = 3:7 was used and finally caused injectivity issue.