Visualization Study of Produced Oil Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technology

Area of Science:

• Petroleum Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Imaging Science

Background:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful tool for visualizing complex processes in core flooding experiments.
• Understanding oil displacement characteristics is crucial for optimizing enhanced oil recovery (EOR) strategies.
• Previous methods lacked detailed visualization of oil distribution during different flooding stages.

Purpose of the Study:

• To visualize and analyze produced oil distribution during core flooding experiments using MRI.
• To compare the effectiveness of different chemical agents (SMG dispersion, polymer flooding) in displacing oil.
• To investigate the impact of core permeability on oil recovery efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to capture image signals at various displacement stages.
• Employing image subtraction techniques to visualize produced oil distribution.
• Conducting core flooding experiments with cores of varying permeabilities and different chemical agents.

Main Results:

• MRI visualization clearly distinguished oil displacement characteristics in cores with different permeabilities.
• SMG dispersion blocked dominant water pathways, accessing previously unrecovered oil and increasing swept volume.
• Polymer flooding significantly increased injection pressure and achieved near-complete oil recovery, showing filamentous advancement patterns.

Conclusions:

• MRI-based visualization provides critical insights into oil displacement mechanisms in porous media.
• SMG dispersion and polymer flooding demonstrate distinct mechanisms for enhancing oil recovery.
• The study highlights the importance of tailored EOR strategies based on core properties and chemical agent functions.