Pore scale visual investigations on solvent retrieval during oil recovery at elevated temperatures: A micromodel study

This work presents pore scale visual experiments on the dynamics of solvent retrieval process at elevated temperatures after its injection for oil recovery using microfluidic devices (micromodels) at low pressure. After the micromodels were saturated with dyed mineral oil, a certain amount of dyed solvent was injected to displace the oil in a heterogeneous (matrix and fracture) porous media. Once the solvent diffused into porous matrix, different parameters such as heating conditions (location of the source), composition of the fluids initially in the fracture, solvent type, and matrix wettability were studied to establish their impact on solvent retrieval mechanisms. Pore scale visualization was achieved through UV light and further image processing and the optimal conditions to maximize the retrieval of solvent from the matrix were defined. (C) 2015 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.