Mechanism of Microbially Activated Water Flooding in Ultra-Low Permeability Reservoirs

doi:10.7657/XJPG20250310

Abstract

Abstract:

During water flooding in ultra-low permeability reservoirs, crude oil within the swept area is preferentially produced, leaving a high residual oil saturation with the potential for further recovery. Microbially activated water flooding is an effective reservoir development technology; however, its mechanism in ultra-low permeability reservoirs remains unclear. By integrating geophysics, microbiology, and reservoir engineering, the group components and microbial diversity of crude oil were tracked and analyzed. Then, using production performance data, the mechanism of microbially activated water flooding was investigated. The results indicate that in relatively homogeneous reservoir regions, surface tension of produced fluids remains stable, biomarkers in crude oil show no significant degradation, and oil viscosity exhibits no substantial changes. MEOR in the study area is mainly realized with the mechanism of microscopic profile control, supplemented by displacement efficiency enhancement and viscosity reduction. During field applications, this finding was validated by using reservoir microbial variations and production data.

Key words: ultra-low permeability reservoir, microbially activated water flooding, mechanism, microscopic profile control, biodegradation

CLC Number:

TE331

ZHANG Yongqiang, ZHANG Xiaobin, XUE Shuwen, XU Feiyan. Mechanism of Microbially Activated Water Flooding in Ultra-Low Permeability Reservoirs[J]. Xinjiang Petroleum Geology, 2025, 46(3): 338-343.

Figures/Tables 11

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Table 2.

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井名	试验2年前含量				试验开始时含量				试验2年后含量
井名	饱和烃	芳香烃	非烃	沥青质	饱和烃	芳香烃	非烃	沥青质	饱和烃	芳香烃	非烃	沥青质
A井	89.72	8.59	1.01	0.68	86.28	11.20	1.40	1.12	78.00	14.26	6.37	1.37
B井	83.53	12.65	2.77	1.05	74.91	17.87	5.32	1.90	78.23	13.71	5.38	2.68
C井	82.88	11.96	1.65	3.51	77.40	14.86	5.26	2.48	70.80	13.72	12.39	3.09
D井	80.78	16.52	1.44	1.26	71.66	21.13	3.09	4.12	69.89	17.92	9.68	2.51
E井	85.66	9.88	2.51	1.95	82.97	13.33	3.21	0.49	74.97	14.17	9.13	1.73
F井	82.34	10.87	5.13	1.66	81.09	14.86	3.51	0.54	71.58	15.54	8.18	4.70

井名	试验前黏度/（mPa·s）	试验后黏度/（mPa·s）
A井	8.32	7.79
B井	7.76	8.87
C井	4.62	4.45
F井	4.02	4.72
G井	7.26	6.87
H井	6.77	6.83

井名	试验前表面张力/（mN·m^-1）	试验后表面张力/（mN·m^-1）
A井	65.499	66.581
B井	63.695	61.560
C井	62.563	65.732
D井	67.831	69.298
F井	65.363	63.456
I井	63.778	66.783