The distribution and multiphase flow of reservoir fluids in porous media are largely controlled by fluids-fluids and rock-fluids interactions. In this study, the rock-fluids interactions are experimentally investigated for two categories of systems representing oil reservoirs and deep saline aquifers in contact with carbon dioxide (CO2). In the first category, the adsorption of surface-active heavy molecules (i.e., asphaltenes) on mineral surfaces in the presence of brine can alter the wettability of reservoir rock towards oil-wet condition. The stability of thin brine films on mineral surfaces and hence the amount of asphaltene adsorption depends on the type of minerals in the rock and the brine chemistry. Although this phenomenon has been extensively studied in quartz systems, there are very limited systematic studies with reactive minerals such as calcite. Therefore, one objective of this research is to investigate the effect of brine chemistry (ion concentration, type, and valency) on the wettability of oil/brine/min- eral systems through dynamic adsorption of asphaltenes on quartz and calcite packs using UV-visible spectrophotometry. Different adsorption trends were observed with quartz and calcite and explained on the basis of the surface forces involved in the stability of thin brine films. In the second category (deep saline aquifers where carbon dioxide is sequestered), the final storage capacity and total amount of capillary-trapped CO2 were affected by the interfacial tension (IFT) between the fluids and the contact angle (CA) between the fluids and the rock mineral surface. There are currently very limited published data on contact angle of CO2/brine/mineral systems. Most of the existing studies were performed at am- bient temperature, under static or quasi-static conditions, and using subcritical CO2 phase without pre-equilibration. Important parameters (such as brine chemistry and impurities in CO2) have not been systematically studied. There are also inconsistencies in reported trends of contact angle versus pressure and temperature. Thus, another objective of this work is to study the effect of pressure, temperature, brine chemistry, and contaminants in CO2 on the wettability of CO2/brine/quartz systems. For this purpose, a new high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) IFT and CA apparatus was developed and validated. The density, IFT, advancing and receding CA of CO2/water/quartz systems were measured under HPHT conditions. Also the effects CO2 phase change, pressure, temperature, brine salinity, and presence of co-contaminants in CO2 phase were investigated. Also, important implications to CO2 sequestration are discussed at the end.

This book focuses on the use of natural surfactants in enhanced oil recovery, providing an overview of surfactants, their types, and different physical–chemical properties used to analyse the efficiency of surfactants. Natural surfactants discuss the history of the surfactants, their classification, and the use of surfactants in petroleum industry. Special attention has been paid to natural surfactants and their advantages over synthetic surfactants, including analysing their properties such as emulsification, interfacial tension, and wettability and how these can be used in EOR. This book offers an overview for researchers and graduate students in the fields of petroleum and chemical engineering, as well as oil and gas industry professionals.

Geological Carbon Storage Subsurface Seals and Caprock Integrity Seals and caprocks are an essential component of subsurface hydrogeological systems, guiding the movement and entrapment of hydrocarbon and other fluids. Geological Carbon Storage: Subsurface Seals and Caprock Integrity offers a survey of the wealth of recent scientific work on caprock integrity with a focus on the geological controls of permanent and safe carbon dioxide storage, and the commercial deployment of geological carbon storage. Volume highlights include: Low-permeability rock characterization from the pore scale to the core scale Flow and transport properties of low-permeability rocks Fundamentals of fracture generation, self-healing, and permeability Coupled geochemical, transport and geomechanical processes in caprock Analysis of caprock behavior from natural analogues Geochemical and geophysical monitoring techniques of caprock failure and integrity Potential environmental impacts of carbon dioxide migration on groundwater resources Carbon dioxide leakage mitigation and remediation techniques Geological Carbon Storage: Subsurface Seals and Caprock Integrity is an invaluable resource for geoscientists from academic and research institutions with interests in energy and environment-related problems, as well as professionals in the field.

Volume 70 of Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry represents an extensive review of the material presented by the invited speakers at a short course on Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Water-Rock Interaction held prior to the 19th annual V. M. Goldschmidt Conference in Davos, Switzerland (June 19-21, 2009). Contents: Thermodynamic Databases for Water-Rock Interaction Thermodynamics of Solid Solution-Aqueous Solution Systems Mineral Replacement Reactions Thermodynamic Concepts in Modeling Sorption at the Mineral-Water Interface Surface Complexation Modeling: Mineral Fluid Equilbria at the Molecular Scale The Link Between Mineral Dissolution/Precipitation Kinetics and Solution Chemistry Organics in Water-Rock Interactions Mineral Precipitation Kinetics Towards an Integrated Model of Weathering, Climate, and Biospheric Processes Approaches to Modeling Weathered Regolith Fluid-Rock Interaction: A Reactive Transport Approach Geochemical Modeling of Reaction Paths and Geochemical Reaction Networks

Knowledge of the basic interactions that take place between geological materials and different substances is the first step in understanding the effects of adsorption and other interfacial processes on the quality of rocks and soils, and on driving these processes towards a beneficial or neutral result. Interfacial Chemistry of Rocks and Soils exam

Hydraulic fracturing of unconventional reservoirs in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana is a growing source of oil and gas production. However, shale and tight-oil reservoirs in the region have high rates of decline in production compared to conventional oil and gas extraction, severely limiting well life. The full reasons for these high decline rates are unclear and have been attributed to a number of causes, including porosity decrease from fines migration. Recent field and experimental studies have shown that water-rock interaction with hydraulic fracturing fluid can cause mineral precipitation in the reservoir subsurface. Experimental studies into water-rock interaction also suggest that reservoirs are sensitive to changes in mineral surface area and to oil adhering to the mineral grains. This study tests the potential effect on water-rock interaction of removing residual oil from unconventional reservoir rock at reservoir conditions as found in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming. Rock samples from the Parkman Sandstone in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming were combined with synthesized formation water at in-situ reservoir conditions and reacted for ~35 days to approach steady-state. A simulated hydraulic fracturing fluid was then injected and reactions proceeded for another ~35 days. Fluid samples were collected throughout the experiment. One experiments uses rocks chemically processed to remove residual oil (low-residual oil, or LRO) and one uses rocks that retain residual oil (high-residual oil, or HRO). All experiments use 0.5–1 cm rock cubes to emulate the interface between fractures and the rock matrix. Analyzed chemistry results from aqueous samples collected during the experiments indicate water-rock interaction with both carbonates and clay minerals. Observation of rock recovered from the experiments shows changes to mineralogy visible in microscope or SEM. Fluid results suggest that unconventional reservoir rock with less residual oil at the mineral face is more prone to carbonate dissolution than reservoir rock with residual oil at the fracture face. Little evidence of precipitation or dissolution was observed on the recovered rock after experiments; however, water-rock interaction at the timescales of these experiments is not likely to cause significant changes to in-situ reservoir porosity or permeability. The water-silicate interaction trend suggests that the fluid chemistry may favor smectite or other clay precipitation at timescales beyond those represented in the experiments.

Knowledge of the basic interactions that take place between geological materials and different substances is the first step in understanding the effects of adsorption and other interfacial processes on the quality of rocks and soils, and on driving these processes towards a beneficial or neutral result. Interfacial Chemistry of Rocks and Soils examines the different processes at solid and liquid interfaces of soil and rock, presenting a complete analysis that emphasizes the importance of chemical species on these interactions. This Second Edition features novel results in the field and expanded coverage of the kinetics of interfacial processes. New content includes models of heterogeneous isotope exchange, sorption isotherms for heterovalent cation exchange, as well as sorption of anions by chemically modified clays. Summarizing the results and knowledge of the authors’ research in this field over several decades, this volume: Explores the individual components of the studied systems: the solid, the solution, and the interface Discusses the characteristics and thermodynamics of the interface Profiles the most important analytical methods in the study of interfacial processes Demonstrates transformations initiated by interfacial processes Outlines avenues of treatment that may solve geological, soil science, and environmental problems Drawn chiefly from the authors’ years of research at the Imre Lajos Isotope Laboratory in the Department of Physical Chemistry at the University of Debrecen in Hungary, this book discusses chemical reactions on the surfaces/interfaces of soils and rocks; examines the role of these processes in environmental, colloid and geochemistry; and explores the effects on agricultural, environmental and industrial applications.