Experimental Study on Foamy Viscosity by Analysing CO2 Micro-Bubbles in Hexadecane
Chanmoly Or,
Kyuro Sasaki Sasaki,
Yuichi Sugai,
Masanori Nakano,
Motonao Imai
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 2, March 2014
Pages:
11-18
Received:
9 February 2014
Published:
20 March 2014
Abstract: Continuous desorbing gas in the heavy oil generates lower viscosity with dispersing gas micro-bubbles. In this study, laboratory experiments were carried out to measure the viscosity of foamy hexadecane, typical component of heavy oil, and to investigate the CO2 gas micro-bubbles at ranged temperature of 20 – 50 °C and depressurization pressure of 1.0 – 6.0 MPa. Apparently, hexadecane mobility increases with increasing foam swelling. The viscosity ratio of foam vs. original hexadecane showed 0.90 – 0.70 with increasing foam swelling in the swelling range of 3.0 – 4.8%. The foam swelling is caused by dispersed gas micro-bubbles, and its viscosity was more reducible at either low temperature or high foam swelling based on present measurement results. The bubble distribution showed the large bubbles (approximately 50 µm in diameter) were coalesced but the micro-bubbles (approximately 5 µm in diameter) were stable under the shear of 1575 s-1, within 3 minutes of measuring. It shows that the micro-bubbles in smaller diameter have higher stability against the high shear rate. Therefore, generating foam by creating CO2 micro-bubbles is capable to make flow through the pore throats with viscosity reduction and improves oil recovery from non-mobile domain, such as aggregate and fine pores, by its swelling.
Abstract: Continuous desorbing gas in the heavy oil generates lower viscosity with dispersing gas micro-bubbles. In this study, laboratory experiments were carried out to measure the viscosity of foamy hexadecane, typical component of heavy oil, and to investigate the CO2 gas micro-bubbles at ranged temperature of 20 – 50 °C and depressurization pressure of ...
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Geochemical Characterization of Potential Source Rock of the Central (Saltpond) Basin, Ghana
S. Bansah,
E. K. Nyantakyi,
L. A. Awuni,
J. K. Borkloe,
Gong Qin
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 2, March 2014
Pages:
19-27
Received:
5 May 2014
Accepted:
15 May 2014
Published:
30 May 2014
Abstract: This research characterized the potential source rock of 3 exploratory wells from the Central (Saltpond) Basin, Ghana. Ten (10) samples each of the drilled cuttings from the three key exploratory wells were geochemically characterized for total organic carbon contents (TOC), rock-eval pyrolysis techniques and vitrinite reflectance measurements (Ro). The results revealed that they have fair to good total organic carbon (TOC) contents, suggesting that there might exist conditions in the Saltpond Basin that favour organic matter production and preservation. The rock-eval results showed that all the samples from the 3 exploratory wells contain predominantly types II and III kerogen with a capacity to generate gas-oil and gas respectively. They have good generation potential. Results of the vitrinite reflectance measurement also reveal that all the samples from the 3 exploratory wells have poor to low source-rock grade. The Saltpond Basin can be regarded as having fair petroleum source rocks and could be part of a petroleum system if sufficient burial and maturation have occurred.
Abstract: This research characterized the potential source rock of 3 exploratory wells from the Central (Saltpond) Basin, Ghana. Ten (10) samples each of the drilled cuttings from the three key exploratory wells were geochemically characterized for total organic carbon contents (TOC), rock-eval pyrolysis techniques and vitrinite reflectance measurements (Ro)...
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