Experimental study of microemulsion systems applied on formation damage remediation

ABSTRACT

Aromatic solvents, such xylene and toluene, are widely used in the organic damage removal operations, although increasing environmental requirements have encouraged the research for new environmental-friendly solutions to replace these solvents. Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable multicomponent systems known by their notable solubilization capability. This paper describes the preparation and investigation of a low-oil-content microemulsion system able to remove the organic damage and restore the permeability. The damage removal efficiency, for the microemulsion systems prepared, was comparable to xylene. The results showed that the proposed microemulsion formulation is a cost-effective and environment-friendly alternative to aromatic solvents.

KEYWORDS:

• Organic damage
• reservoir production
• sandstone
• solvents
• microemulsions

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Cláudio R. S. Lucas

Msc Cláudio Régis dos Santos Lucas is a professor on the Petroleum Engineering College at the Federal University of Pará - UFPA, Brazil. He studied chemical engineering at Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (2008) and in the same institution held his master’s in petroleum engineering (2018). Before joining at UFPA, Lucas worked for eight years at Baker Hughes where he held a variety of engineering and management positions in drilling and completion operations. Lucas has experience in drilling and completion operations, production enhancement and transport phenomena applied to petroleum engineering.

Yanne K. P. Gurgel Aum

Dr. Yanne Katiussy Pereira Gurgel Aum is a professor of the Federal University of Amazonas. She studied chemical engineering at Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (2009) and in the same institution held his doctorate’s in chemical engineering (2016). He has experience in Chemical Engineering, with emphasis on petroleum, food and industrial operations, working mainly in the following topics: oil production and transport phenomena, production enhancement, surfactant technology, and food industry operations.

Tereza N. De Castro Dantas

Dr. Tereza Neuma de Castro Dantas holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the Federal University of Ceará - UFC (1975). She held the Doctorate Third Cycle (1981) and Ph.D. in Chemistry (1983), both by the Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse, France. Member of European Academy of Sciences Arts and Literature. She is currently a teacher volunteer at Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, working in teaching and research. Dantas has experience in the areas of Chemical Technology and Chemistry of Natural Products, working in the areas of Oil, Gas, and Environment, involving surfactant applications, microemulsions, and nanoemulsions systems.

Dennys C. Da Silva

Msc. Dennys Correia da Silva is a researcher at the Laboratory of Surfactant Technology - UFRN. He held a chemical engineering degree from the Federal University of Maranhão (2016), and Master in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (2018). He has experience in liquid-vapor equilibrium modeling, perovskites, biodegradable films, food drying, petroleum, surfactants, and microemulsion systems.

Katherine C. De Oliveira

Dr. Katherine Carrilho de Oliveira is a professor of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte – UFRN, Brazil. She studied chemical engineering at Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (2013) and in the same institution held his doctorate’s in chemical engineering (2019). Katherine works in surfactant, adsorption, liquid-liquid extraction, petroleum and diesel. She has experience in unity operations, transport phenomena, thermodynamics, reaction kinetics, general chemistry, and chemical process.

Pedro T. P. Aum

Dr. Pedro Tupã Pandava Aum is Director of the Petroleum Engineering College of the Federal University of Pará - UFPA, Brazil. He studied chemical engineering at Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (2008) and in the same institution held his Doctorate in Petroleum Engineering (2016). Before joining at UFPA, Aum worked for nine years at Baker Hughes where he held a variety of engineering and management positions in drilling and completion operations. Aum has experience in drilling and completion fluids technology, colloidal systems, production enhancement and transport phenomena applied to petroleum engineering.