TY - JOUR
T1 - Crude oil-water emulsions formed by nozzle type inflow control device
AU - Jackson, Mark
AU - Hoskin, Ben
AU - Ling, N. N.A.
AU - Johns, Michael L.
PY - 2024/11
Y1 - 2024/11
N2 - Conventional water-in-oil emulsion studies where shear energy intensity and duration are applied to achieve ‘equilibrium’ emulsion droplet properties may not represent partial emulsion conditions observed in single pass flow through Inflow Control Device (ICD) orifices. Our experiments provide data expected to improve emulsion transport models for partial emulsification processes expected in well completion and production tubulars. Development of a novel flow adaptor apparatus is described together with a laboratory homogeniser enables independent control of shear intensity and duration together with input water volume fraction. The emulsions formed are characterised with a benchtop Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectrometer for water content and droplet size, viscosity by a rotating bob viscometer and free water/emulsion proportion by optical photography. Experimental results confirmed partial emulsification above 30% V/V, as observed in both previous ICD flow experiments and field observations. Electrical conductivity measurements of the emulsions produced indicated that partial emulsification comprising an oil external emulsion phase together with free water, rather than emulsion inversion, occurs in this system.
AB - Conventional water-in-oil emulsion studies where shear energy intensity and duration are applied to achieve ‘equilibrium’ emulsion droplet properties may not represent partial emulsion conditions observed in single pass flow through Inflow Control Device (ICD) orifices. Our experiments provide data expected to improve emulsion transport models for partial emulsification processes expected in well completion and production tubulars. Development of a novel flow adaptor apparatus is described together with a laboratory homogeniser enables independent control of shear intensity and duration together with input water volume fraction. The emulsions formed are characterised with a benchtop Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectrometer for water content and droplet size, viscosity by a rotating bob viscometer and free water/emulsion proportion by optical photography. Experimental results confirmed partial emulsification above 30% V/V, as observed in both previous ICD flow experiments and field observations. Electrical conductivity measurements of the emulsions produced indicated that partial emulsification comprising an oil external emulsion phase together with free water, rather than emulsion inversion, occurs in this system.
KW - Droplet size distribution
KW - Emulsion viscosity
KW - Inflow control device
KW - Nuclear magnetic resonance
KW - Partial emulsification
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85202925009&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.geoen.2024.213272
DO - 10.1016/j.geoen.2024.213272
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85202925009
SN - 2949-8910
VL - 242
JO - Geoenergy Science and Engineering
JF - Geoenergy Science and Engineering
M1 - 213272
ER -