Mohammedalmojtaba Mohammed

MSc 2014

Currently an EOGRRC research engineer

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Research topic: Research topic: “Solvent Retrieval and Wettability Alteration during Heavy-Oil and Bitumen Recovery by SOS-FR (Steam-Over-Solvent Injection in Fractured Reservoirs) Method"

Thesis

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Water injection is inefficient to recover heavy oil from naturally fractured carbonate reservoirs mainly due to its oil-wet nature of the matrix. Solvent injection could be an option in this type of reservoir through dilution of oil and gravity drainage. This, however, will only be feasible if the injected solvent is retrieved back effectively. This thesis focuses on the two approaches that can be used to retrieve the solvent diffused into matrix: (1) Thermal method and (2) chemical methods.

 

In the thermal method, steam or hot water is injected at or around the bubble temperature of the solvent. The solvent will then be retrieved by its vaporization, which was the base of a recent suggested method called steam over solvent injection in fractured reservoirs (SOS-FR) method (Al-Bahlani and Babadagli, 2008). An experimental setup that enables quantifying the retrieved solvent at the end this process was designed and then used to investigate the effect of different factors on the process. Then, an optimization study was performed to determine the optimal conditions for oil recovery and solvent retrieval during the SOS-FR method.

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Chemical methods rely on the possibility of altering the wettability of rock surfaces. This type of treatment is a new approach to develop heavy oil/bitumen containing oil-wet systems. After a critical review of the past literature in wettability alteration with a comprehensive analysis of materials/methods suggested for different types of reservoirs, selected chemicals were tested on heavy-oil saturated core samples pre-exposed to solvent. The chemicals tested include surfactants, high pH solutions, low/high salinity water, nanofluids, and ionic liquids. The key parameters to evaluate the efficiency of the examined recovery methods were oil recovery and solvent retrieval through enhanced capillary imbibition.

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Publications:

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1. Mohammed, M. and Babadagli, T.: “Wettability Alteration: A Comprehensive Review of Materials/Methods and Testing the Selected Ones on Heavy-Oil Containing Oil-Wet Systems,” Adv. in Coll. and Int. Sci., vol. 220, 54-77, 2015.

2. Mohammed, M. and Babadagli, T.: “Efficiency of Steam-Over-Solvent Injection in Fractured Reservoirs (SOS-FR) Method Considering Oil Recovery and Solvent Retrieval: Core Scale Experimentation,” J. of Canadian Petr. Tech., vol. 54, no. 5, 310-322, 2015.

3. Mohammed, M. and Babadagli, T.: “Bitumen Recovery from Grosmont Carbonates by Modified SOS-FR (Steam-Over-Solvent Injection in Fractured Reservoir) Method Using Wettability Alteration Chemicals,” Energy and Fuels, vol. 30, no. 5, 3849-3859, 2016.

4. Mohammed, M. and Babadagli, T.: “Experimental Investigation of Wettability Alteration in Oil-Wet Reservoirs Containing Heavy-Oil,” SPE Res. Eval. and Eng., vol. 19, no. 4, 633-644, 2016.

5. Cao, N., Mohammed, M. and Babadagli, T.: “Wettability Alteration of Heavy-Oil/Bitumen Containing Carbonates Using Solvents, high pH Solutions and Nano/Ionic Liquids,” accepted for publication in SPE Res. Eval. and Eng., 2016.

6. Mohammed, M. and Babadagli, T.: “Efficiency of Solvent Retrieval during Steam-Over-Solvent Injection in Fractured Reservoirs (SOS-FR) Method: Core Scale Experimentation,” SPE 165528, 2013 SPE Heavy Oil Conf., Calgary, AB, Canada, 11-13 June.

7. Mohammed, M. and Babadagli, T.: “Alteration of Matrix Wettability during Alternate Injection of Hot-Water/Solvent into Heavy-Oil Containing Fractured Reservoirs,” SPE 170034, 2014 SPE Heavy Oil Conf., Calgary, AB, Canada, 10-12 June.

8. Mohammed, M. and Babadagli, T.: “Bitumen Recovery from Grosmont Carbonates by Modified SOS-FR (Steam-Over-Solvent Injection in Fractured Reservoir) Method Using Wettability Alteration Chemicals,” OTC 26073, 2015 Offshore Technology Conf. (OTC), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 27-29 Oct.

9. Cao, N., Mohammed, M. and Babadagli, T.: “Wettability Alteration of Heavy-Oil/Bitumen Containing Carbonates Using Solvents, high pH Solutions and Nano/Ionic Liquids,” OTC 26028, 2015 Offshore Technology Conf. (OTC), Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, 27-29 Oct.

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