Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-5nwft Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-15T11:14:44.159Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mobilization of Quartz Fines in Porous Media

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2024

César M. Cerda
César M. Cerda*
Affiliation:
Alberta Research Council, Oil Sands Research Department, P.O. Box 8330, Station F, Edmonton, Alberta T6H 5X2, Canada
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The onset of the mobilization of fine particles of quartz (fines) in sandpacks was determined by comparing the theoretically calculated hydrodynamic and colloidal forces acting on a fines particle near a representative sand grain. The results show that the mobilization of fines depends strongly on the chemistry of fluids present in the reservoir. Specifically, a critical electrolyte concentration exists for mobilization, which depends on the pH. For large particles of fines and relatively high fluid velocity, the mobilization of fines may depend on the fluid velocity, but in a narrow range of electrolyte concentration. The types of interactions between the fines and sand grain surfaces were corroborated by direct visual observations using a traveling microcell pack.

The mobilization of fines in sandstones leads to a reduction of permeability (i.e., a reduction of the hydraulic conductivity).

Keywords

Colloidal forcesFines particlesElectrolyte concentrationHydrodynamic forcesMobilizationPorous mediaQuartz
Type
Research Article
Information
Clays and Clay Minerals , Volume 36 , Issue 6 , December 1988 , pp. 491 - 497
Copyright
Copyright © 1988, The Clay Minerals Society

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cerda, C. M., 1987 Mobilization of kaolinite fines in porous-media Colloids and Surfaces 27 219 – 241.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frens, G., 1978 On coagulation in the primary minimum Discuss. Faraday Chem. Soc. 65 146 – 155.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gaudin, A. M. and Fuerstenau, D. W., 1955 Quartz flotation with anionic collectors Trans. AIME 202 66 – 72.Google Scholar
Goldenberg, L. C., 1985 Decrease of hydraulic conductivity in sand at the interface between seawater and dilute clay suspension J. Hydrol. 78 183 – 199.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldenberg, L. C. and Margaritz, M., 1983 Experimental investigation on irreversible changes of hydraulic conductivity on the seawater-freshwater interface in coastal aquifers Water Resour. Res. 19 77 – 85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldenberg, L. C., Margaritz, M., Armiel, A. J. and Mandel, S., 1984 Changes in hydraulic conductivity of laboratory sand-clay mixtures caused by a sea-freshwater interface J. Hydrol. 70 329 – 336.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goren, S. L. and O’Neill, M. E., 1971 On the hydrodynamic resistance to a particle of a dilute suspension when in the neighborhood of a large obstacle Chem. Eng. Sci. 26 325 – 338.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gotoh, K., Iriya, A. and Tagawa, M., 1983 The detachment of nylon particles from quartz plate by electro-osmotic flow Colloid Polymer Sci. 261 805 – 811.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gregory, J., 1975 Interaction of unequal double layers at constant charge J. Colloid Interface Sci. 51 44 – 51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gregory, J., 1981 Approximate expressions for retarded van der Waals interaction J. Colloid Interface Sci. 83 138 – 145.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Happel, J., 1958 Viscous flow in multiparticle systems: slow motion of fluids relative to beds of spherical particles AIChE J. 4 197 – 222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hough, D. B. and White, L. R., 1980 The calculation of Hamaker constants from Lifshitz theory with applications to wetting phenomena Adv. Colloid Interface Sci. 14 3 – 41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hubbe, M. A., 1984 Theory of detachment of colloidal particles from flat surface exposed to flow Colloids and Surfaces 12 151 – 177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hubbe, M. A., 1985 Detachment of colloidal hydrous oxide spheres from flat solids exposed to flow mechanism of release Colloids and Surfaces 16 249 – 270.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hunter, R. J., 1981 Zeta Potential in Colloid Science–Principles and Applications London Academic Press.Google Scholar
Jones, F. D., 1964 Influence of chemical composition of water on clay blocking of permeability J. Pet. Tech. 16 441 – 446.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Khilar, K. C., Fogler, H. S. and Shah, D. O., 1981 Permeability reduction in water sensitivity of sandstones Surface Phenomena in Enhanced Oil Recovery New York City Plenum 721 – 740.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krueger, R. F., Vogel, L. C. and Fischer, P. W., 1967 Effect of pressure drawdown on cleanup of clay- or silt-blocked sandstone J. Pet. Tech. 19 397 – 403.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mungan, N., 1965 Permeability reduction through changes in pH and salinity J. Pet. Tech. 17 1449 – 1453.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mungan, N., 1968 Permeability reduction due to salinity changes J. Can. Pet. Tech. 7 113 – 117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reed, M. G., 1980 Gravel pack and formation sandstone dissolution during steam injection J. Pet. Tech. 32 941 – 949.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sears, A. R. and Groves, J. N., 1978 The use of oscillating laminar flow streaming potential measurements to determine the zeta potential of a capillary surface J. Colloid Interface Sci. 65 479 – 482.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spielman, L. A. and Fitzpatrick, J. A., 1973 Theory of particle collection under London and gravity forces J. Colloid Interface Sci. 42 607 – 623.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Visser, J., 1980 Measurement of the force of adhesion between submicron carbon-block particles and a cellulose film in aqueous solution J. Colloid Interface Sci. 34 26 – 31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar