Oil & Gas Geology ›› 2023, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (1): 195-202.doi: 10.11743/ogg20230116

• Methods and Technologies • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Concept, method and prospect of molecular oil recovery

Bingyu JI(), Jichao FANG, Shu YANG, Yong HU   

  1. Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute,SINOPEC,Beijing 102206,China
  • Received:2022-08-02 Revised:2022-11-18 Online:2023-01-14 Published:2023-01-13

Abstract:

The understanding and control at molecular level has become an inevitable trend in the development of modern science and technology, but it has not attracted enough attention in the field of oil and gas development. Based on some achievements and understandings of molecular simulation, this paper puts forward the concept of molecular oil recovery (molecular gas recovery) for the first time, and analyzes its connotation, current situation and development trend. Relevant research achievements in surfactant flooding, polymer flooding and CO2-EOR have been documented and enriched the connotation of molecular oil recovery to a certain extent. Relying on molecular simulation technology represented by molecular dynamics and quantum chemical calculation combined with modern experimental technology represented by chromatography, spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance, etc., it is possible to deepen the understanding of the mechanism of viscosity formation and viscosity reduction of heavy oil, and the characteristics of oil and gas adsorption, desorption and slippage on rock surface from the molecular level. In this way, a new mechanism based on molecular oil recovery is proposed, and the molecular structures of more targeted viscosity reducer, oil displacement agent, plugging agent and other auxiliary materials are designed. Molecular oil recovery technology based on molecular simulation methods is expected to bring revolutionary advances to the research of chemical oil displacement mechanism, thermal recovery mechanism, CO2 displacement mechanism, low salinity water displacement mechanism, shale oil and gas exploitation mechanism and natural gas hydrate exploitation mechanism, etc., providing theoretical support for efficient oil and gas recovery methods.

Key words: molecular dynamics simulation, oil displacement mechanism, oil displacement agent, molecular oil recovery, oil and gas recovery

CLC Number: