Investigation of the Behavior of Bentonite and Kaolinite Clays Against Low Salinity Water Flooding at High Temperature Using a Micromodel

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Petroleum and Geoenergy Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

10.22078/pr.2025.5679.3519

Abstract

In this study, the effects of migration and swelling of bentonite and kaolinite clay minerals on formation damage during low salinity water flooding under high-temperature conditions were investigated. To simulate a sandstone porous medium, glass micromodels coated with clays and a microfluidic oven set at 70 °C were used to establish reservoir temperature conditions. Five types of formation waters with different ionic compositions of sodium, potassium, and calcium were prepared, and after achieving ionic equilibrium with the environment, distilled water was injected as low salinity water. Moreover, changes in porosity, effective porosity, and permeability were analyzed through image processing over time. The results indicate that the type of ions present in the injected fluid plays a decisive role in the extent of clay swelling and migration. In micromodels coated with bentonite, a combination of potassium and calcium ions effectively controlled clay swelling and migration, while in kaolinite-coated samples, the same combination resulted in the least reduction of reservoir parameters. This study highlights the importance of considering temperature and cation type in predicting formation damage during low salinity water flooding and provides a practical framework for optimizing enhanced oil recovery strategies.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Petroleum Research
Volume 35, 1404-6 - Serial Number 145
March and April 2026
Pages 93-110

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