Application of Water-Soluble Polymer/Biopolymer Combined with a Biosurfactant in Oil-Wet Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs

Most fractured carbonate reservoirs are characterized by a highly permeable fracture zone surrounded low-permeability oil-wet matrix. These features make the displacement of oil from matrix into almost impossible during water flooding. This paper presents results flooding with polymer polyacrylamide (PAM) and biopolymer xanthan gum (XG) in combination biosurfactant to enhance imbibition rocks. Core experiments were conducted on induced horizontally (at 180°) cores room conditions (20 ± 2 °C). The or was used plug zones, while added system alter wettability state rock water-wet. Rock surface characterization before after core using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). indicate that PAM led higher reduction 35.6% fracture-matrix permeability than XG at 18.3%. monitoring production also showed ultimate recovery levels for aforementioned systems 16 8.7%, respectively, which can be attributed drive mechanisms temporary plugging as well mobility ratio improvement due alteration biosurfactant. SEM images confirm proposed mechanisms, where presence polymer/biopolymer followed detected result chemical flow through system.