Efficiency estimation of super-viscous oil recovery by in-situ catalytic upgrading in cyclic steam stimulation: from laboratory screening to numerical simulation

The article provides an overview of ion-modified waterflooding technology, also known as low salinity, controlled salinity, or Smart water. This technology is currently considered one of the most promising approaches in the development of oil deposits in carbonate reservoirs due to its economic efficiency and environmental safety. The article discusses the main mechanisms and processes underlying ion-modified waterflooding and presents the results of laboratory studies conducted on core samples from foreign oil deposits. It includes an analysis of several studies, including contact angle measurements and core flooding experiments on core samples from oil deposits in carbonate reservoirs on the eastern side of the Melekess depression in the Republic of Tatarstan. It is important to note that the Vereyian deposits explored in this article are not a typical example of test objects for ion-modified water injection. This is because they are characterized by a low reservoir temperature of 23 °C, which suggests that the efficiency of the technology would likely be lower compared to studies conducted abroad, where reservoir temperatures were significantly higher. For example, Darvish Sarvestani et al. studied reservoir conditions at 90 °C, Yousef et al. – reservoir temperature of 100 °C, and Austad et al. examined the Ekofisk field at 130 °C and the Volhall field at 90 °C in Norway. However, as several studies have indicated, prolonged contact between rock samples and ion-modified water contributes to significant hydrophilization of the rock surface, as confirmed by contact angle measurements. The contact angle decreases from approximately 138.3° to 53.45° after exposure to ion-modified water. Additionally, the core flooding experiment demonstrated a slight increase in the oil displacement coefficient, reaching 9.2%. These findings suggest the potential for enhanced oil recovery by injecting Smart water into the Vereyian sediments, although further research is required to confirm the underlying mechanism.