Influence of ions on rock surface wettability in carbonate reservoir smart water flooding

Influence of ions on rock surface wettability in carbonate reservoir smart water flooding | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Influence of ions on rock surface wettability in carbonate reservoir smart water flooding Ying MENG, Yuting HE This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5286619/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study analyzes the effects of different ions on the wettability of carbonate rock surfaces during low-salinity water flooding, using core flooding experiments, contact angle measurements, and potential tests. The results indicate that reducing the salinity of injection water can effectively improve the recovery of alkaline crude oil. Ion concentration significantly impacts the wettability of carbonate rocks, with Mg 2+ and SO 4 2− showing the most substantial effect on contact angle under low salinity conditions, markedly enhancing oil-wet characteristics. Although Ca 2+ does not regulate wettability as effectively as the combination of Mg 2+ and SO 4 2− , it still promotes contact angle adjustment to some extent, particularly exhibiting notable wettability modulation at specific concentrations. Na + , by contrast, has the weakest effect on wettability. Changes in ion concentrations result in variations in the surface potential of carbonate rocks, which, in turn, influence the adsorption strength of alkaline components, thereby modulating wettability. Under low-salinity water flooding conditions, Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ can increase surface potential, enhancing the adsorption of oil-phase components, while SO 4 2− promotes the transition of the rock surface toward a more water-wet state by reducing potential. The study concludes that, in terms of enhancing the wettability of carbonate rock surfaces, the ions' influence strength ranks as follows: Mg 2+ > SO 4 2− (coexisting with Mg 2+ ) > Ca 2+ > SO 4 2− (alone) > Na + . This research provides new theoretical foundations and experimental data to support the development of smart water flooding in carbonate reservoirs. Smart Water Flooding Wettability Carbonate Rock Electrolyte Ions EOR Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5286619","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":367928151,"identity":"927db524-8ebd-4f9e-94cf-48f607752029","order_by":0,"name":"Ying MENG","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Capital University of Economics and Business","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ying","middleName":"","lastName":"MENG","suffix":""},{"id":367928152,"identity":"5ae325ed-5486-490e-8d64-70fe166bbe18","order_by":1,"name":"Yuting HE","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA4klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACAxjJL//+44OEihoitRwAkpINCcYGD84cI1YLiHEgwUzyYQszYS3m7D1m0h8K7thtOHAgrSKxgY2Bv707Aa8Wy54zZhIHDJ4lzzzYcOxG4g4ZBokzZzfgd9iNHJCWw8l8hxnbbiSeYWMwkMgloOX+G4gWhmPMbAWJbcxEaLnBA9ZiJ3CGjY2BOC1n0ootzhgcTpCcwcMskXDmGA9hvxw/vPFGxZ/D9vwSPIwff1TUyPG39+LXwsDAAY6axAYol4eAchBgfwAi7YlQOQpGwSgYBSMVAABBPU859elWnwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"China university of petroleum (Beijing)","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yuting","middleName":"","lastName":"HE","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-10-18 05:38:11","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5286619/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5286619/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":70189276,"identity":"73aee6be-68b3-429b-a26e-68e6e5b4dcbd","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-11-29 09:54:40","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":391557,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5286619/v1_covered_6802eff8-1e22-48ea-a664-8ea7cc867ca8.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Influence of ions on rock surface wettability in carbonate reservoir smart water flooding","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Smart Water Flooding, Wettability, Carbonate Rock, Electrolyte Ions, EOR","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5286619/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5286619/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study analyzes the effects of different ions on the wettability of carbonate rock surfaces during low-salinity water flooding, using core flooding experiments, contact angle measurements, and potential tests. The results indicate that reducing the salinity of injection water can effectively improve the recovery of alkaline crude oil. Ion concentration significantly impacts the wettability of carbonate rocks, with Mg\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e and SO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003csup\u003e2\u0026minus;\u003c/sup\u003e showing the most substantial effect on contact angle under low salinity conditions, markedly enhancing oil-wet characteristics. Although Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e does not regulate wettability as effectively as the combination of Mg\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e and SO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003csup\u003e2\u0026minus;\u003c/sup\u003e, it still promotes contact angle adjustment to some extent, particularly exhibiting notable wettability modulation at specific concentrations. Na\u003csup\u003e+\u003c/sup\u003e, by contrast, has the weakest effect on wettability. Changes in ion concentrations result in variations in the surface potential of carbonate rocks, which, in turn, influence the adsorption strength of alkaline components, thereby modulating wettability. Under low-salinity water flooding conditions, Mg\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e and Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e can increase surface potential, enhancing the adsorption of oil-phase components, while SO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003csup\u003e2\u0026minus;\u003c/sup\u003e promotes the transition of the rock surface toward a more water-wet state by reducing potential. The study concludes that, in terms of enhancing the wettability of carbonate rock surfaces, the ions' influence strength ranks as follows: Mg\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e \u0026gt; SO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003csup\u003e2\u0026minus;\u003c/sup\u003e (coexisting with Mg\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e)\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;Ca\u003csup\u003e2+\u003c/sup\u003e \u0026gt; SO\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e\u003csup\u003e2\u0026minus;\u003c/sup\u003e (alone)\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;Na\u003csup\u003e+\u003c/sup\u003e. This research provides new theoretical foundations and experimental data to support the development of smart water flooding in carbonate reservoirs.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Influence of ions on rock surface wettability in carbonate reservoir smart water flooding","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-10-30 14:07:35","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5286619/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"a589b099-19d8-470c-a28d-f4d0c1462a9b","owner":[],"postedDate":"October 30th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-11-29T09:54:27+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2024-10-30 14:07:35","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-5286619","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-5286619","identity":"rs-5286619","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}