Fines migration is defined
as separation of a Nano-sized particle by fluid flow in porous media and its
migration along some distances and its entrapment in a narrow pore throat or
its settlement on pore wall. Although this phenomenon happens in scales of Nano-meters,
it can lead to sever irretrievable damages. This damage includes permeability
reduction that causes drastic oil recovery reduction. There are several forces
impacting a fine that is placed on a pore wall. Some of most important forces
affecting settlement of a fine in porous media in presence of a fluid are electrical
forces. Electrical forces consist of several long and short range forces.
This study focuses on a long range force called Double Layer Force (DLF) that beside Van der
Waals is one of most powerful electrical forces. DLF is a repulsive force that
can repel a particle from pore wall and result separation of a Nano-sized solid
which subsequently moves along with flowing fluid and clogs a throat. The DLF
depends on the solid material (reservoir rock and fine) and fluid properties (i.e. ionic strength, pH). This study
investigates how each of these parameters affects DLF and introduces proper
conditions for reservoir water flooding for controlling fines migration.
References
[1]
Khilar, C.K. and Fogler, H.S. (1999) Migrations of Fines in Porous Media. Springer, Berlin.
[2]
Bedrikovetsky, P., Furtado, C.A., de Souza, A.L.S. and Siqueira, F.D. (2007) Internal Erosion in Rocks during Produced and Seawater Injection. SPE Europec/EAGE Annual Conference and Exhibition, London, 11-14 June 2007, SPE 107513.
[3]
Moghadasi, J., Jamialahmadi, M., Müller-Steinhagen, H., Sharif, A., Izadpanah, M.R., Motaei, E. and Barati, R. (2002) Formation Damage in Iranian Oil Fields. SPE 73781.
[4]
Kwan, M.Y.M., Cullen, M.P, Jamieson, P.R. and Fortier, R.A. (1988) A Study of Fines Migration Related Permeability Damage in Extracted Cold Lake Heavy Oil Cores. 39th Annual Technical Meeting of the Petroleum Society of CIM, Calgary, June 12-16 1988.
[5]
Valdya, R.N. and Fogler, H.S. (1992) Fines Migration and Formation Damage: Influence of pH and Ion Exchange. SPE Production Engineering, 7, 325-330. http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/19413-PA
[6]
Adamson, A.W. and Gast, A.P. (1997) Physical Chemistry of Surfaces. Wiley-Interscience Publication, New York, Chapter 5, 170.
[7]
Sourani, S., Riazi, M., Kazemzadeh, Y. and Fallah, H. A New Approach for Evaluating Migration of Nano Particles in Porous Media. Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01932691.2014.921859
[8]
Ross, S. and Morrison, I.D. (1988) Colloidal Systems and Interfaces. John-Wiley Publication, New York.
[9]
Takashi, S. (2009) Water Imbibition, Electrical Surface Forces, and Wettability of Low Permeability Fractured Porous Media. Ph.D. Thesis, Stanford University, Stanford.
