Using atomic force spectroscopy to study oil/mineral interactions at reservoir temperatures and pressures

• Published in: Fuel (Guildford) Vol. 259; p. 116194
• Main Authors: Dickinson, William W., Aravind, S.S. Jyothirmayee, Higgins, Steven R., Berg, Steffen, Suijkerbuijk, Bart M.J.M., Schniepp, Hannes C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Additives; Atomic beam spectroscopy; Atomic force microscopes; Atomic force microscopy; Crude oil; Dissolved gases; Environmental impact; Force spectroscopy; Gases; High pressure; High temperature; Microscopes; Oil recovery; Oil-mineral interactions; Pressure; Reservoir conditions; Reservoirs; Saline water; Spectroscopy; Spectrum analysis; Waterflooding; Waterflooding; Reservoir conditions; Force spectroscopy; Oil-mineral interactions
• ISSN: 0016-2361; 1873-7153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2019.116194

Force spectroscopy is used to investigate crude oil/brine/rock interactions at reservoir temperatures and pressures, up to 120 °C and 10 MPa, for the first time. A newly-developed, high pressure, high temperature atomic force microscope (HP/HT-AFM) is used in combination with newly-designed, crude-oil functionalized AFM probes compatible with these conditions. Our results show that both temperature and pressure have significant impact on adhesion forces, demonstrating the necessity of testing in this environment to obtain results that accurately reflect interactions at reservoir conditions. The HP/HT-AFM design introduced here also allows changing many other variables such as brine composition, dissolved gases, injection fluid additives, the type of crude oil, as well as the type of mineral surface. Consequently, the system introduced here has the capability to investigate interfacial interactions at reservoir conditions with unprecedented specificity, providing the basis for the development of optimized and tailored oil recovery techniques.