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  1. Fulltext Influence of organic molecules on wetting characteristics of mica/H2/brine systems: Implications for hydrogen structural trapping capacities
    Ali M, Yekeen N, Pal N, Keshavarz A, Iglauer S, Hoteit H
    J Colloid Interface Sci, 2022 Feb 15;608(Pt 2):1739-1749.
    PMID: 34742087 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.10.080
    HYPOTHESIS: Actualization of the hydrogen (H2) economy and decarbonization goals can be achieved with feasible large-scale H2 geo-storage. Geological formations are heterogeneous, and their wetting characteristics play a crucial role in the presence of H2, which controls the pore-scale distribution of the fluids and sealing capacities of caprocks. Organic acids are readily available in geo-storage formations in minute quantities, but they highly tend to increase the hydrophobicity of storage formations. However, there is a paucity of data on the effects of organic acid concentrations and types on the H2-wettability of caprock-representative minerals and their attendant structural trapping capacities.

    EXPERIMENT: Geological formations contain organic acids in minute concentrations, with the alkyl chain length ranging from C4 to C26. To fully understand the wetting characteristics of H2 in a natural geological picture, we aged mica mineral surfaces as a representative of the caprock in varying concentrations of organic molecules (with varying numbers of carbon atoms, lignoceric acid C24, lauric acid C12, and hexanoic acid C6) for 7 days. To comprehend the wettability of the mica/H2/brine system, we employed a contact-angle procedure similar to that in natural geo-storage environments (25, 15, and 0.1 MPa and 323 K).

    FINDINGS: At the highest investigated pressure (25 MPa) and the highest concentration of lignoceric acid (10-2 mol/L), the mica surface became completely H2 wet with advancing (θa= 106.2°) and receding (θr=97.3°) contact angles. The order of increasing θa and θr with increasing organic acid contaminations is as follows: lignoceric acid > lauric acid > hexanoic acid. The results suggest that H2 gas leakage through the caprock is possible in the presence of organic acids at higher physio-thermal conditions. The influence of organic contamination inherent at realistic geo-storage conditions should be considered to avoid the overprediction of structural trapping capacities and H2 containment security.

  2. An experimental workflow to assess the applicability of microemulsions for conformance improvement in oil-bearing reservoir
    Pal N, Alzahid Y, AlSofi AM, Ali M, Yekeen N, Hoteit H
    Heliyon, 2023 Jul;9(7):e17667.
    PMID: 37539136 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17667
    A comprehensive workflow approach is necessary to link multiple experimental tasks and identify microemulsion (ME) formulations with 'optimal' stability, displacement behavior and technical feasibility in the petroleum industry. In this paper, a systematic approach is described with the aid of a case study which involves the formulation of an anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate-based microemulsion. The design of such ME systems requires a proper methodology, substantial laboratory work, and functional assessment from research/industrial viewpoints. The surfactant has been screened in terms of its micellization potential, followed by phase behavior analysis and Winsor classification of prepared microemulsions. The desired composition(s) are characterized via several tools to determine droplet size, morphology, oil/water solubilization potentials and salinity scan results. The suitability of the microemulsion system for conformance improvement technology (CIT) is proposed to be assessed via physicochemical evaluation studies encompassing two attributes: rheology and stability. For a favorable 'conforming' drive, the microemulsion must exhibit phase stability, sufficient injectivity, and moderate-to-high viscosity under shear. Technical assessment by the industry and research team must also include factors related to cost, availability of chemicals, environmental degradation, and reservoir considerations. The article demonstrates a comprehensive all-inclusive workflow methodology to design and formulate surfactant-stabilized microemulsions via case study analysis for application in CIT. This represents a sound approach to identifying efficient, cost-effective injection fluid systems and provides a framework to identify useful parameters for ME formulation design and employ the proposed (effective) strategy for conformance control.
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