Experimental study of the effect of oil polarity on smart waterflooding in carbonate reservoirs

Abstract This study investigates the influence of oil polarity on interfacial tension (IFT), contact angle, oil recovery, and effluent pH in smart water and Low-salinity water injection. The results indicate that the interaction between the hydration shell of ions and the polar components (PCs) of oil is crucial. Increasing oil polarity enhances the potential for interaction with the hydration shell of ions, leading to reduced IFT, altered wettability, and improved oil recovery; which could be boosted by the contribution of a higher number of anions in the smart water bulk through the enhancement of their interaction with the PCs (especially acidic components) of oil. The study demonstrates that increasing the SO4 2− concentration in seawater increased oil recovery for oils with higher acid component content, as indicated by total acid number values of 0.87, 0.99, and 1.32 mgKOH/g, the tertiary oil recovery factors for these oils were 61.10%, 69.82%, and 87.09%, respectively. The effluent pH results align with the findings of contact angle and oil recovery, confirming the dominant influence of anions on oil recovery. The interaction between the PCs of oil and the hydration shell of ions is thus highlighted as a critical factor in the observed outcomes.