Chapter 2
Microscopic Efficiency of
Immiscible Displacement
2.1 Introduction
‘The presence of immiscible Aude (oilwater, o/s,
Tater, o oll water and gs) nese rock ers
The capciy of rock otra Muh. In hs caper
‘ee cxamine fundamental concept tat te wed 10 care
Serre he dtbtion and flow of ois ids fn
porous rocks
"Two or ore pases ae conse immicne taspe-
ced engeyaore ad presi visible etre os
‘fer the pues have been mined igre ith Sf
‘lene foc phase ewiibrim o ogc. Water andl
Ste inmscibl onder octal servo an race con-
‘ion bees he otal sauiss oo i wate and
Seater inl are sll This toad defo of ee
Ui Incas cas in which x ead ol and agate
‘mequlibrim,In hs instance, the cree ol eos all
ote ofthe asin proportions determined
ty eglibaom darbton oeicents These yams are
sometimes deserted as partly miscible bocae ube
Sanat of gas maybe dled in the ol =
pending oh temperature, pressure, and ompostio.
2.2 Fundamental Principles Governing
Fluid and Rock Interactions
2.21 Intéracial Tension (FT)
‘The interface berween two phases isa region ofimied
Solubility, which i, at most, afew molecules thick. It
may be visualized as a phase boundary that ocurs be-
‘auc tho stractive frees between molecules inthe same
‘hase are much larger than those that exist between
‘molecied in ifferent phases,
“The IFT is 2 fundamental thermodynamic property of
an itrfae. 1 6 define asthe energy require 1 in
‘eave the are ofthe inerface by one unt. Fi. 21 shows
ring teniometer used to determine the [FT at an ell
‘water interface. The ring positioned atthe itrtace is
raised By applying fore. Aste rig pled dhoegh
the imerfoce, the interfacial area increases, as depicted
inFig. 2.2. The foro at the snapof poin divided bythe
‘lreumferenceof the ring (corrected fora geomet ft
{on isthe IFT. Other metheds of measring IFT sche
sessile drop" pendant op.” and spinning drop” tech-
iges.
“Typical values of IFT's for croe-olwaer systems ste
rested in Table 2,1. IFT's between ol and water ae
Usually 10 0 30 dynesfm (10 to 30 mN/m) at 77°F
[25°C], The TFT between a iui and its vapor (rat)
{referred toa surface tension. Correlation of surface
tension of paraffin hydrocarbons with molecular weight
and temperature are presented in Fig. 2.3.°
TFT isa measure of miscbiiy: de lower the IFT. the
loser two phase approach miscbliy, For example, a=
the crial point is approached, the propertis ofthe fig
tid phase Become inistinguisible fom those ofthe
‘vapor phase, Consequently the IFT becomes ze atthe
‘ial pont, Fig. 2 shows the reduction in IPT with
pressure forthe methane/pentane system at 100°F [38°C]
2 the critical pressure of 2.420 psa [16 685 kPa is ap-
‘reached. Low IFT's are also cbserved in systems cone
{aiming alcohols and surfacants, Values of 10>
mN/m] have been reported for some
formulations.” IFT"s less than 10° dyoesiem [10>
‘Ni re refered to as ulalow tensions.
2.2.2 Wettabilty
Interaction between the surface of the reservoie rock and
the fad phases confined in the pore space influences fd