Abstract: A method for improving hydrocarbon flow from a consolidated, tight reservoir rock having authigenic clay cementation includes thermally heating the reservoir rock in-situ surrounding a production well to change the mode of occurrence of clay cements within the rock so as to enhance reservoir permeability and carrying out rapid flowback into the production well.

Abstract: A first fluid having a dyed styrene monomer is injected into a porous reservoir rock to effect saturation. A second fluid, miscible with the first fluid and having a dyed styrene monomer differing in color from the first fluid, is injected into the porous rock to displace the first fluid. Effluent flow from the porous rock is monitored with UV-visible light spectroscopy for use in determining oil displacement characteristics of the porous rock. Subsequent rapid polymerization of the styrene monomer within the porous rock allows identification and characterization of the controlling factors and attributes of the pore network responsible for entrapment of the residual phase. This allows assessment of larger intervals of the reservoir rock.