<p> The use of surfactants to alter the reservoir hydrocarbons affinity towards the injection fluids such as water is an effective method to increase the oil production on depleted reservoirs. However, the actual field use of this technique has been limited by major economical complications generated by the unaccounted loss of surfactants to the reservoir rock pores. Reducing the adsorption of surfactants to the reservoir rock can be achieved through the addition of sacrificial elements to the injection slug. Sacrificial elements such as polymers can engage in a competitive behavior with surfactants for the adsorption to the reservoir rock surface. This thesis work focuses on the simulation of the dynamic adsorption of surfactants when sacrificial agents, such as polymers, are injected on a 3-D field scale reservoir model. </p><p> The purpose of this thesis research is to determine if the new in model for streamline particle flow simulation developed in-house for academic purposes can accurately predict the surfactant and polymer adsorption/desorption to the reservoir pores. Based on laboratory experiment data from publications, the SL simulator will model the surfactant and polymer adsorption on a 3-D heterogeneous reservoir in order to determine if the surfactant adsorption could be reduced when polymers are injected as sacrificial agents on a chemical mixture or sequential profile. The simulation output displays promising results, since it accurately models the effects generated on the surfactant dynamic adsorption caused by the injection of sacrificial agents such as polymers. This 3-D SL simulator could be used for field applications to obtain better predictions about the dynamic adsorption of surfactants, which would increase the efficiency of surfactant flooding operations.</p><p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:PROQUEST/oai:pqdtoai.proquest.com:10245306 |
| Date | 13 September 2017 |
| Creators | Cure, David A. |
| Publisher | University of Louisiana at Lafayette |
| Source Sets | ProQuest.com |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | thesis |
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