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Updated: May 10, 2025
12:18
Pore-scale Imaging and Characterization of Hydrocarbon Reservoir Rock Wettability at Subsurface Conditions Using X-ray Microtomography
Published on: October 21, 2018
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Quantitative Analysis of Wettability and Its Transition Mechanism in Carbonate Rocks Based on Surface Energy
Jiyue Zhang1, Zhihong Kang1, Jiaqi Li1
1School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences Beijing, Beijing 100083, China.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|April 22, 2025
Summary
Elevated temperatures and asphalt adsorption alter carbonate rock wettability. Understanding these changes is key to optimizing hydrocarbon recovery in oil reservoirs.
Area of Science:
- Petroleum Geoscience
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Wettability of carbonate reservoirs critically impacts oil occurrence and recovery efficiency.
- Elevated temperatures and asphalt adsorption are known to significantly alter carbonate wettability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively assess the effects of temperature and asphalt on carbonate wettability.
- To elucidate the transformation mechanisms of carbonate wettability under varying conditions.
Main Methods:
- Inverse gas chromatography was used to measure surface energy of Ordovician carbonate samples (30-130 °C).
- Young's equation and Van Oss theory were applied to calculate interfacial tensions and contact angles.
- Surface energy components of rock, petroleum, and water were analyzed for quantitative wettability evaluation.
Main Results:
- Increasing temperature initially decreased then increased nonpolar surface energy, with enhanced basic components.
- Higher temperatures strengthened water-wetting characteristics due to increased acidic and basic surface energy components.
- Asphalt adsorption intensified oil-wetting by increasing water contact angles in light oil-water systems.
Conclusions:
- Carbonate wettability is temperature-dependent, with increased polarity enhancing hydrophilicity.
- Asphalt adsorption promotes oil-wetting through spontaneous adsorption and increased water contact angles.
- Optimal recovery temperatures are 60-100 °C for light oil and 100-110 °C for asphalt-rich reservoirs.
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