Experimental Studies on North Sea Rock Evaluating the Low Salinity Effect on Enhanced Oil Recovery and Permeability Reductions

Abstract

In this project the concept of low salinity water flooding is experimentally tested and discussed. Both the effect on enhanced oil recovery and the permeability reductions issues which can arise during low salinity flooding have been studied.

The different studies done on the topic of low salinity are reviewed, looking at the previous work done, and also the mechanisms which are proposed as causes for the low salinity effect. Furthermore the effect low salinity has on permeability is reviewed.

Enhanced oil recovery was also reported during flooding with 10% brine, before the increase in differential pressure was experienced. An assumption might be that there is a possibility of enhanced oil recovery by low salinity flooding without drastic formation damage, by optimizing the salinity of the low salinity brines. Further research is needed to confirm this.

XRD analysis was also performed on the cores, but no apparent trend between the mineral composition versus the permeability drop could be reported.