Pore-Scale Imaging of Controlled-Salinity Waterflooding in a Heterogeneous Carbonate Rock at Reservoir Conditions

Summary Controlled salinity water-flooding (CSW) is a promising enhanced oil recovery technique, yet the pore-scale mechanisms that control the process remain poorly understood especially in carbonate rocks. The aim of this experimental study is, therefore, to gain novel insights into CSW and characterize oil, water and the pore space in carbonates. X-ray imaging combined with a high-pressure high-temperature flow apparatus was used to image and study in situ CSW in a complex carbonate rock. To establish the conditions found in oil reservoirs, the Estaillades limestone core sample (5.9 mm in diameter and 10 mm in length) was aged for three weeks at 11 MPa and 80°C. This weakly oil-wet sample was then flooded by injecting low salinity brine at a range of increasing flow rates. Tomographic images were acquired at 2.9-micron spatial resolution after each flow rate. A total of 60 pore volumes of low salinity brine were injected recovering 85% of the oil initially in place in macro-pores. Contact angles and brine-oil curvatures were obtained to characterize wettability changes within the rock pore space. Our analysis shows that wettability alteration towards a mixed wet system caused by low salinity brine was the main mechanism for increased oil recovery.