Interface Fluidics · Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Nissan Chemical America Corporation is committed to innovative product development. Third-party evaluation provides valuable and unbiased insight into the effectiveness of our solutions and are an integral part of our pursuit of greater product performance and increased customer profitability.
Methodology
Interface Fluidics Flowback Test uses a porous pattern analogue that replicates the inherent geometries of the reservoir rock. The analogue simulates the relevant porosity, permeability and pore throat size distribution of the reservoir.
Prior to testing, the analogue is saturated with brine and oil, and the systems wettability is modified to reflect the reservoir. Testing is conducted at specified reservoir conditions. During testing, frac water/additive is injected from left to right, then allowed to soak at the same flow rate, followed by continuous oil flowback from right to left.
The primary performance metric is the total volume of oil produced during the first half hour of steady state flowback. Steady state oil flowback is representative of the flow of oil from the reservoir, once the pressure equilibrium is reached after fracturing. Secondary performance metrics are also evaluated including displacement efficiency and wettability modification.
Summary
Flowback tests using nanoActiv® HRT and nanoActiv® EFT were conducted in a Wolfcamp reservoir analogue, in both oil-wet and water-wet conditions. The results are compared to a highly-effective surfactant control. Both nanoActiv® products were able to modify wettability by reducing interfacial tension and contact angle. Oil fragmentation was also observed.
nanoActiv® EFT flowback at 1.0 GPT in oil-wet conditions exhibits efficiently created flow paths.
Oil fragmentation was observed during flowback.
nanoActiv® HRT
- At 5 wt% concentration, increased oil flowback in oil-wet conditions by 74% and at 5 wt% in water-wet conditions, outperformed the control by 13%
- Completely saturated the frac zone after flowback, for potential use of all possible flow paths
nanoActiv® EFT
- At 1 GPT concentration, was the top performer in both oil-wet and water-wet test conditions, significantly increasing oil flowback in oil-wet conditions by 236% and in water-wet conditions by 119% over the control
- At 1.0 GPT on flowback exhibited the greatest flow rates through preferential/efficient flow paths
| Flowback Aid | Loading | Volume of Oil in 30 Minutes of Constant Pressure Drop (nL) |
Improvement Over Control (%) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil-Wet | Control Surfactant | 1.0 GPT | 1633 | 0% |
| nanoActiv® HRT | 5.0 wt% | 2836 | 74% | |
| nanoActiv® EFT | 1.0 GPT | 5494 | 236% | |
| Water-Wet | Control Surfactant | 1.0 GPT | 1736 | 0% |
| nanoActiv® HRT | 5.0 wt% | 1968 | 13% | |
| nanoActiv® EFT | 1.0 GPT | 3804 | 119% |
nanoActiv® is made in the USA · Patented in the US and other countries