Effect of Initial Wetting on Smart Water Potential in Carbonates

A significant discovery in carbonate reservoir engineering reveals that initial wettability in carbonates can be established almost instantly through the adsorption of polar components from crude oil, eliminating the need for prolonged aging. The study demonstrates that acidic polar components play a crucial role in altering wettability towards less water-wet conditions, with adsorption occurring most rapidly during the first pore volumes of oil injection. Increasing surface accessibility by reducing initial water saturation enhances this process, highlighting its strong influence on initial wettability. Unlike traditional methods relying solely on aging, this research shows that mixed wettability can be achieved efficiently through immediate adsorption, offering a more time-effective approach for laboratory experiments and potentially improving 'Smart Water' injection strategies in carbonates.

Mjos, J. E., Strand, S., Puntervold, T., & Gaybaliyev, H. (2018). Effect of Initial Wetting on Smart Water Potential in Carbonates. SPE EOR Conference at Oil and Gas West Asia. https://doi.org/10.2118/190414-ms