Modeling of multiphase flow in low permeability porous media:Effect of wettability and pore structure properties

Multiphase flow in low permeability porous media is involved in numerous energy and environmental applications.However,a complete description of this process is challenging due to the limited modeling scale and the effects of complex pore structures and wettability.To address this issue,based on the digital rock of low permeability sandstone,a direct numerical simulation is performed considering the interphase drag and boundary slip to clarify the microscopic water-oil displacement process.In addition,a dual-porosity pore network model(PNM)is constructed to obtain the water-oil relative permeability of the sample.The displacement efficiency as a recovery process is assessed under different wetting and pore structure properties.Results show that microscopic displacement mechanisms explain the corresponding macroscopic relative permeability.The injected water breaks through the outlet earlier with a large mass flow,while thick oil films exist in rough hydrophobic surfaces and poorly connected pores.The variation of water-oil relative permeability is significant,and residual oil saturation is high in the oil-wet system.The flooding is extensive,and the residual oil is trapped in complex pore networks for hydrophilic pore surfaces;thus,water relative permeability is lower in the water-wet system.While the displacement efficiency is the worst in mixed-wetting systems for poor water connectivity.Microporosity negatively correlates with invading oil volume fraction due to strong capillary resistance,and a large microporosity corresponds to low residual oil saturation.This work provides insights into the water-oil flow from different modeling perspectives and helps to optimize the development plan for enhanced recovery.

Cyclonic Separation Technology:Researches and Developments

Centered on thetechniques and industrial applications of the reinforced cyclonic separation process, its principles and mechanism for separation ot ions, molecules and their aggregates using polyalsperse aroplets are discussed generally; the characteristics and influential factors of fish-hook phenomenon of the grade efficiency curve in cyclonic separation for both gas and liquid are analyzed; and the influence of shear force on particle be- havior （or that of particle swarm） is also summarized. A novel idea for cyclonic separation is presented here： enhancing the cyclonic seoaration process of ions, molecules and their aggregates with monodisperse microspheres and their surface grafting, rearranging the distribution of particles by size using centrifugal field, reinforcing the cyclonic separation performance with orderly arranged particle swarm. Also the investigation of the shortcut flow, recirculation flow, the asymmetric structure and non-linear characteristics of the cyclonic flow field with a com-bined method of Volumetric 3-component Velocimetry （V3V） and Phase-Doppler Particle Anemometer （PDPA） are elaborated. It is recommended to develop new systems for the separation of heterogeneous phases with cyclonic technology, in accordance with the capture and reuse of CO2, methanol to olefins （MTO） process, coal transfer, andthe exploitation of oil shale.

Donghe Sandstone Subtle Reservoir Exploration and Development Technology in Hade 4 Oilfield

Hade 4 oilfield is located on the Hadexun tectonic belt north of the Manjiaer depression in the Tarim basin, whose main target layer is the Donghe sandstone reservoir, with a burial depth over 5,000m and an amplitude below 34m, at the bottom of the Carboniferous. The Donghe sandstone reservoir consists of littoral facies deposited quartz sandstones of the transgressive system tract, overlapping northward and pinching out. Exploration and development confirms that water-oil contact tilts from the southeast to the northwest with a drop height of nearly 80m. The reservoir, under the control of both the stratigraphic overlap pinch-out and tectonism, is a typical subtle reservoir. The Donghe sandstone reservoir in Hade 4 oilfield also has the feature of a large oil-bearing area (over 130 km2 proved), a small thickness (average efficient thickness below 6m) and a low abundance (below 50 × 104t/km2). Moreover, above the target layer developed a set of igneous rocks with an uneven thickness in the Permian formation, thus causing a great difficulty in research of the velocity field. Considering these features, an combination mode of exploration and development is adopted, namely by way of whole deployment, step-by-step enforcement and rolling development with key problems to be tackled, in order to further deepen the understanding and enlarge the fruits of exploration and development. The paper technically focuses its study on the following four aspects concerning problem tackling. First, to strengthen the collecting, processing and explanation of seismic data, improve the resolution, accurately recognize the pinch-out line of the Donghe sandstone reservoir by combining the drilling materials in order to make sure its distribution law; second, to strengthen the research on velocity field, improve the accuracy of variable speed mapping, make corrections by the data from newly- drilled key wells and, as a result, the precision of tectonic description is greatly improved; third, to strengthen the research on sequence stratigraphy and make sure the distribution law of the Donghe sandstone; and fourth, with a step- by-step extrapolation method, to deepen the cognition of the leaning water-oil contact, and by combining the tectonic description and drilling results, to make sure little by little the law of change of the water-oil contact. The exploration and development of the Donghe sandstone subtle reservoir in Hade 4 oilfield is a gradually perfected process. From 1998 when it was discovered till now, the reservoir has managed to make a benign circle of exploration and development, in which its reserve has gradually been enlarged, its production scale increased, and, in a word, it has used techniques necessary for this subtle reservoir in the Tarim basin.

ZnxCd1–xS quantum dot with enhanced photocatalytic H2-production performance

H2 is an important energy carrier for replacing fossil fuel in the future due to its high energy density and environmental friendliness.As a sustainable H2-generation method,photocatalytic H2 production by water splitting has attracted much interest.Here,oil-soluble ZnxCd1-xS quantum dot(ZCS QD)with a uniform particle size distribution were prepared by a hot-injection method.However,no photocatalytic H2-production activity was observed for the oil-soluble ZCS QD due to its hydrophobicity.Thus,the oil-soluble ZCS QD was converted into a water-soluble ZCS QD by a ligand-exchange method.The water-soluble ZCS QD exhibited excellent photocatalytic H2-production performance in the presence of glycerin and Ni^2+,with an apparent quantum efficiency of 15.9%under irradiation of 420 nm light.Further,the photocatalytic H2-generation activity of the ZCS QD was~10.7 times higher than that of the ZnxCd1-xS relative samples prepared by the conventional co-precipitation method.This work will inspire the design and fabrication of other semiconductor QD photocatalysts because QD exhibits excellent separation efficiency for photogenerated electron-hole pairs due to its small crystallite size.

Role of the porphyrins and demulsifiers in the aggregation process of asphaltenes at water/oil interfaces under desalting conditions:a molecular dynamics study

Breaking water-in-oil emulsions during the refining of crude oils is an important step before any upgrading process is started.Asphaltene molecules are incriminated as playing an important role in this phenomenon.Unraveling the mechanisms behind the affinity between them and water is a key step to understand how to break these emulsions more easily and require lower amounts of demulsifiers.Choosing which demulsifier molecule(s)to use is also primordial,but to do so rationally,one needs to know which are the molecular interactions in place between asphaltenes,porphyrins and water so that demulsifiers are chosen to destabilize a specific physical–chemical interaction.In this paper,we study the interactions arising between asphaltenes and porphyrins and six different molecules potentially displaying a demulsification action in the presence of water/oil interfaces.We demonstrate that the ionic demulsifier molecules present an interesting potential to either interact strongly with water,replacing asphaltenes in this interaction,or to interact with the active sites of asphaltenes,deactivating them and avoiding any asphaltenic interfacial activity.Finally,we also found that although asphaltenes do not migrate spontaneously toward the water/oil interfaces,porphyrins do so rather easily.This indicates that porphyrins do have an important activity at the water/oil interface.

Upstream Operations in the Oil Industry： Rigorous Modeling ofan Electrostatic Coalescer

This paper deals with a first-principle mathematical model that describes the electrostatic coalescer unitsdevoted to the separation of water from oil in water-in-oil emulsions, which are typical of the upstreamoperations in oil fields. The main phenomena governing the behavior of the electrostatic coalescer are denscribed, starting from fundamental laws. In addition, the gradual coalescence of the emulsion droplets isconsidered in the mathematical modeling in a dynamic fashion, as the phenomenon is identified as a keystep in the overall yield of the unit operation. The resulting differential system with boundary conditionsis then integrated via performing numerical libraries, and the simulation results confirm the available lit-erature and the industrial data. A sensitivity analysis is provided with respect to the main parameters. Themathematical model results in a flexible tool that is useful for the purposes of design, unit behavior predic-tion. performance rnoniroring, and ontimization.

Study on Flow Unit of Heavy Oil Bottom Water Reservoir with Over-Limited Thickness in Offshore Oilfield

The upper Ming section of L oilfield is a typical offshore heavy oil bottom-water reservoir with thick fluvial layers. All horizontal wells are developed by natural energy. Due to the few drilling holes and influence by the resolution of seismic data, it is difficult to describe reservoirs with thickness over 20 meters. In this paper, seismic resonance amplitude inversion technology is introduced to restore the real response of thick reservoirs and interbeds by drilling and drilling verification, and the geological bodies with different thickness are displayed by frequency division RGB three primary colors. Flow units of heavy oil reservoirs with bottom water are divided according to the three major factors of interlayer, lithologic internal boundary and water-oil thickness ratio which have the greatest influence on horizontal well development, thick sand bodies are divided into 10 different flow units in three levels, each unit is separated from each other, and the reservoir structure, water-cut characteristics and water-flooding characteristics are different. The reliability of the research is improved by using the dynamic data of horizontal wells and newly drilled passing wells, which provides a basis for tapping the potential of heavy oil reservoirs with bottom water.

Diagnostic Method and Adaptability Analysis of Multiple Water Breakthroughs in Horizontal Well in Combined Well Pattern

The combined well pattern has been widely used in reservoir development, with a common pattern being a horizontal well in the center for oil production and multiple vertical wells around for water injection. For this type of well pattern, determining the horizontal well is affected by which injection wells, especially when the injecting water breaks through, accurately determining the direction of water inflow will provide an important basis for targeted water well measures. Based on the production performance data of horizontal wells, the semi logarithmic relationship curves of water-oil ratio, derivative water-oil ratio, and cumulative production were used for the first time to determine the breakthrough problem of water injection in the surrounding water injection wells of horizontal wells based on their response characteristics. The adaptability of this method under different influencing factors was analyzed. Introducing the parameter of cumulative production not only preserves the variation trend of the derivative of water-oil ratio with time, but also facilitates the processing of actual production data.

Optimal performance of water-oil axial jet pump in an egyptian offshore oil field

The jet pump is an artificial lift employed when the reservoir pressure declines and the well deviation increases.The use of computer well models for optimizing the oil well output has proven to be a suc-cessful strategy,and has helped increasing the efficiency and production of numerous wells.The objective of this study was to use a production optimization technique that achieves some improve-ments,and recommend approaches toward increasing the oil well production.The effects of the motive fluid flow rate and pressure on the oil production rate were investigated to determine the optimal in-jection rate and pressure on the performance of the deep well water-oil axial jet-pump.Additionally,the effects of the well-head pressure,water cut,and roughness of tubing on oil production of this jet pump type were investigated.The results revealed that the impact on the oil lift performance is significant.The oil production increased by 19.43%,and the optimal economic value for the injection rate and pressure for the GA-1A well are 744.44 BFPD and 2722.22 psig,respectively.In summary,increasing the tubing roughness decreased the well's total liquid production.Thus,maintaining the well integrity is a very important factor because not doing so can lower the productivity by up to 20%-25%.

Dimethyl phthalate damages Staphylococcus aureus by changing the cell structure, inducing oxidative stress and inhibiting energy metabolism

Dimethyl phthalate(DMP), used as a plasticizer in industrial products, exists widely in air,water and soil.Staphylococcus aureus is a typical model organism representing Gram-positive bacteria.The molecular mechanisms of DMP toxicology in S.aureus were researched by proteomic and transcriptomic analyses.The results showed that the cell wall, membrane and cell surface characteristics were damaged and the growth was inhibited in S.aureus by DMP.Oxidative stress was induced by DMP in S.aureus.The activities of succinic dehydrogenase(SDH) and ATPase were changed by DMP, which could impact energy metabolism.Based on proteomic and transcriptomic analyses, the oxidative phosphorylation pathway was enhanced and the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and pentose phosphate pathways were inhibited in S.aureus exposed to DMP.The results of real-time reverse transcription quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR) further confirmed the results of the proteomic and transcriptomic analyses.Lactic acid, pyruvic acid and glucose were reduced by DMP in S.aureus, which suggested that DMP could inhibit energy metabolism.The results indicated that DMP damaged the cell wall and membrane, induced oxidative stress, and inhibited energy metabolism and activation in S.aureus.