Use of Sulfate for Water Based Enhanced Oil Recovery during Spontaneous Imbibition in Chalk

The effect of increased sulfate concentration in the imbibing water during oil recovery by spontaneous imbibitions in different outcrop chalks at various wettability conditions at 130 °C has been determined. Core plugs from three chalk outcrops, Rordal, Niobrara, and Stevns, were aged in crude oil and included in this study. Stevns chalk exhibited increased oil recovery during spontaneous imbibition with increased concentration of sulfate in the imbibing water phase. The effect was less than reported by others and was wettability dependent. Spontaneous imbibition tests showed that the added oil recovery was greatest at Amott water indices below 0.2, and tests at and above 0.25 showed only minor effects from sulfate. Niobrara and Rordal chalk did not show increased oil recovery with increased sulfate concentration in the brine. These core plugs reflected more water-wet imbibition characteristics at elevated temperature, and the effect of sulfate could not be isolated. Measurements of Amott water indices be...