Abstract: A method of assessing the response of a reservoir rock to low salinity water includes obtaining a formation core sample of a reservoir rock from a reservoir. In addition, the method includes sequentially washing the formation core sample with a first series of solvents to form a first series of solvent extracts and an extracted formation core sample. Further, the method includes sequentially washing the extracted formation core sample with a second series of solvents to form a second series of solvent extracts and a cleaned formation core sample. The method also includes generating a series of mass spectra of the second series of solvent extracts. The relative abundance of the catecholamine-type structures (CTS) is determined using the series of mass spectra. Still further, the method includes subjecting the formation core sample to analysis by X-ray diffraction to generate a diffraction pattern. The relative abundance of kalonite is determined using the diffraction pattern.

Abstract: An integrated system comprising a desalination plant comprising a reverse osmosis (RO) array configured to produce an RO permeate blending stream, a blending system comprising a flow line for a fines stabilizing additive blending stream and configured to blend the RO permeate blending stream with the fines stabilizing additive blending stream to produce a blended low salinity water stream having a salinity of less than or equal to 5,000, 4,000, 3,000, 2,000, 1,000, 500, 400, or 300 ppm and a molar ratio of divalent cations to monovalent cations of greater than about 0.2, 0.3, or 0.4, a control unit configured to control operation of the blending system, and an injection system for one or more injection wells, wherein the one or more injection wells penetrate an oil-bearing layer of a reservoir. A method is also provided.

Abstract: A method includes producing a first blended low salinity injection water for injection into at least one injection well that penetrates a first region of an oil-bearing reservoir and producing a second blended low salinity injection water for injection into at least one injection well that penetrates a second region of an oil-bearing reservoir. The reservoir rock of the first and second regions has first and second rock compositions, respectively, that present different risks of formation damage. The first and second blended low salinity injection waters comprise variable amounts of nanofiltration permeate and reverse osmosis permeate.

Abstract: A method for analysing a crude oil to determine the amount of organic acid compounds contained in the crude oil includes extracting the organic acid compounds from a sample of crude oil to form an extract and determining the amount of the extracted organic acids In addition, the method includes dissolving the extract in a polar solvent to form a solution of the extracted organic acid compounds Further, the method includes introducing a sample of the solution of the extracted organic acid to an apparatus including a reversed phase liquid chromatography (LC) column and a mass spectrometer (MS) arranged in series. The reversed phase LC column contains a hydrophobic sorbent and the mobile phase for the LC column includes a polar organic solvent.

Abstract: An integrated system includes a desalination plant including a reverse osmosis (RO) array to produce an RO permeate blending stream and a nanofiltration (NF) array to produce an NF permeate blending stream. The integrated system also includes a blending system. Further, the integrated system includes a control unit. Still further, the integrated system includes an injection system for one or more injection wells that penetrate an oil-bearing layer of a reservoir. Moreover, the integrated system includes a production facility to separate fluids produced from one or more production wells that penetrate the oil-bearing layer of the reservoir and to deliver a produced water (PW) stream to the blending system. The blending system is configured to blend the RO permeate and NF permeate blending streams with the PW stream to produce a blended low salinity water stream.

Abstract: An integrated system includes a desalination plant including a reverse osmosis (RO) array to produce an RO permeate blending stream and a nanofiltration (NF) array to produce an NF permeate blending stream. The integrated system also includes a blending system. a control unit, and an injection system for an injection well that penetrates an oil-bearing layer of a reservoir. The blending system is to blend the RO permeate blending stream and the NF permeate blending stream to produce a blended injection water stream. The control unit is to dynamically alter operation of the blending system to adjust amounts of at least one of the RO permeate blending stream and the NF permeate blending stream to alter the composition of the blended injection water stream from an initial composition to a target composition.

Abstract: A method for recovering crude oil from a reservoir including at least one layer of reservoir rock having crude oil and a formation water within the pore space thereof includes injecting into the layer(s) of reservoir rock from an injection well, alternating slugs of an aqueous displacement fluid comprising a concentrated solution of a water-soluble additive in an aqueous solvent and of an aqueous spacer fluid. The number of injected slugs of aqueous displacement fluid, n, is in the range of 15 to 1000 per swept pore volume, PVR, of the layer(s) of reservoir rock. The injected pore volume of each individual slug, PVSlug-i, of aqueous displacement fluid is in the range of 10?12 to 10?2 of the swept pore volume, PVR, of the layer(s) of reservoir rock. The total injected pore volume of the slugs of aqueous displacement fluid is in the range of 10?8 to 10?1 of the swept pore volume, PVR, of the layer(s) of reservoir rock.

Abstract: An integrated system includes a desalination plant including a reverse osmosis (RO) array to produce an RO permeate blending stream and a nanofiltration (NF) array to produce an NF permeate blending stream. The integrated system also includes a blending system. Further, the integrated system includes a control unit. Still further, the integrated system includes an injection system for one or more injection wells that penetrate an oil-bearing layer of a reservoir. Moreover, the integrated system includes a production facility to separate fluids produced from one or more production wells that penetrate the oil-bearing layer of the reservoir and to deliver a produced water (PW) stream to the blending system. The blending system is configured to blend the RO permeate and NF permeate blending streams with the PW stream to produce a blended low salinity water stream.

Abstract: A method for recovering crude oil from a reservoir including at least one layer of reservoir rock having crude oil and a formation water within the pore space thereof includes injecting into the layer(s) of reservoir rock from an injection well, alternating slugs of an aqueous displacement fluid comprising a concentrated solution of a water-soluble additive in an aqueous solvent and of an aqueous spacer fluid. The number of injected slugs of aqueous displacement fluid, n, is in the range of 15 to 1000 per swept pore volume, PVR, of the layer(s) of reservoir rock. The injected pore volume of each individual slug, PVSlug-i, of aqueous displacement fluid is in the range of 10?12 to 10?2 of the swept pore volume, PVR, of the layer(s) of reservoir rock. The total injected pore volume of the slugs of aqueous displacement fluid is in the range of 10?8 to 10?1 of the swept pore volume, PVR, of the layer(s) of reservoir rock.

Abstract: A method for detecting incremental oil production from an oil-bearing reservoir includes taking a baseline sample of the oil and analyzing the baseline sample of oil to establish a baseline compositional signature for the oxygen-containing organic compounds in the oil. In addition, the method includes commencing a low salinity waterflood by injecting a low salinity water into the reservoir from an injection well. Further, the method includes recovering oil from a production well. Still further, the method includes taking post-flood samples of the oil produced from the production well over time. The method also includes analyzing the post-flood samples of oil to establish post-flood compositional signatures for the oxygen-containing organic compounds in the oil. Moreover, the method includes identifying a difference between one or more of the post-flood compositional signatures and the baseline compositional signature that is characteristic of incremental oil released by the low salinity waterflood.

Abstract: An integrated system includes a desalination plant including a reverse osmosis (RO) array to produce an RO permeate blending stream and a nanofiltration (NF) array to produce an NF permeate blending stream. The integrated system also includes a blending system, a control unit, and an injection system for an injection well that penetrates an oil-bearing layer of a reservoir. The blending system is to blend the RO permeate blending stream and the NF permeate blending stream to produce a blended injection water stream. The control unit is to dynamically alter operation of the blending system to adjust amounts of at least one of the RO permeate blending stream and the NF permeate blending stream to alter the composition of the blended injection water stream from an initial composition to a target composition.

Abstract: A method for analysing a crude oil to determine the amount of organic acid compounds contained in the crude oil includes extracting the organic acid compounds from a sample of crude oil to form an extract and determining the amount of the extracted organic acids In addition, the method includes dissolving the extract in a polar solvent to form a solution of the extracted organic acid compounds Further, the method includes introducing a sample of the solution of the extracted organic acid to an apparatus including a reversed phase liquid chromatography (LC) column and a mass spectrometer (MS) arranged in series. The reversed phase LC column contains a hydrophobic sorbent and the mobile phase for the LC column includes a polar organic solvent.

Abstract: A method includes producing a first blended low salinity injection water for injection into at least one injection well that penetrates a first region of an oil-bearing reservoir and producing a second blended low salinity injection water for injection into at least one injection well that penetrates a second region of an oil-bearing reservoir. The reservoir rock of the first and second regions has first and second rock compositions, respectively, that present different risks of formation damage. The first and second blended low salinity injection waters comprise variable amounts of nanofiltration permeate and reverse osmosis permeate.

Abstract: A method for selecting an aqueous displacement fluid comprising an aqueous solution of dissolved phosphate species includes obtaining reservoir parameters for a reservoir, receiving an input comprising a permitted loss of dissolved phosphate species resulting from mixing of the aqueous displacement fluid and resident water following injection of a selected pore volume of the aqueous displacement fluid, selecting an aqueous displacement fluid, and determining that a composition of the aqueous displacement fluid is within an operating envelope using the reservoir parameters and the permitted loss of dissolved phosphate species. The reservoir parameters include physical characteristics of the reservoir and chemical characteristics of the resident water. The operating envelope defines boundary conditions for one or more parameters of the composition of the aqueous displacement fluid to limit a loss of dissolved phosphate species upon injection into the reservoir to less than or equal to the permitted loss.

Abstract: A method for detecting incremental oil production from an oil-bearing reservoir includes taking a baseline sample of the oil and analyzing the baseline sample of oil to establish a baseline compositional signature for the oxygen-containing organic compounds in the oil. In addition, the method includes commencing a low salinity waterflood by injecting a low salinity water into the reservoir from an injection well. Further, the method includes recovering oil from a production well. Still further, the method includes taking post-flood samples of the oil produced from the production well over time. The method also includes analyzing the post-flood samples of oil to establish post-flood compositional signatures for the oxygen-containing organic compounds in the oil. Moreover, the method includes identifying a difference between one or more of the post-flood compositional signatures and the baseline compositional signature that is characteristic of incremental oil released by the low salinity waterflood.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for simultaneously injecting fluids into a plurality of samples of porous media, comprising: a plurality of holders for the samples of porous media, each holder comprising a sleeve and first and second platens, the first platen having an inlet for an injection fluid and the second platen having an outlet for a produced fluid, and the samples of porous media being arranged, in use, in each of the holders such that the first platen and second platen of each holder contact a first and second end of the sample of porous medium respectively, the inlet of each first platen being in fluid communication with an injection line for injecting fluid into the sample of porous medium arranged in the holder, the outlet of each second platen being in fluid communication with a dedicated effluent line for removing fluid produced from the sample of porous medium arranged in the holder, on-line and/or off-line analytical means for analyzing the fluids injected into each of the samples of po

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for simultaneously injecting fluids into a plurality of samples of porous media, comprising: a plurality of holders for the samples of porous media, each holder comprising a sleeve and first and second platens, the first platen having an inlet for an injection fluid and the second platen having an outlet for a produced fluid, and the samples of porous media being arranged, in use, in each of the holders such that the first platen and second platen of each holder contact a first and second end of the sample of porous medium respectively, the inlet of each first platen being in fluid communication with an injection line for injecting fluid into the sample of porous medium arranged in the holder, the outlet of each second platen being in fluid communication with a dedicated effluent line for removing fluid produced from the sample of porous medium arranged in the holder, on-line and/or off-line analytical means for analyzing the fluids injected into each of the samples of po

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for simultaneously injecting fluids into a plurality of samples of porous media, comprising: a plurality of holders for the samples of porous media, each holder comprising a sleeve and first and second platens, the first platen having an inlet for an injection fluid and the second platen having an outlet for a produced fluid, and the samples of porous media being arranged, in use, in each of the holders such that the first platen and second platen of each holder contact a first and second end of the sample of porous medium respectively, the inlet of each first platen being in fluid communication with an injection line for injecting fluid into the sample of porous medium arranged in the holder, the outlet of each second platen being in fluid communication with a dedicated effluent line for removing fluid produced from the sample of porous medium arranged in the holder, on-line and/or off-line analytical means for analyzing the fluids injected into each of the samples of po

Abstract: Process for evaluating a plurality of refinery feedstocks, by providing an array of refinery feedstocks, the array having at least a plurality of different refinery feedstocks, and fractionating each of the refinery feedstocks in the array, either in parallel or in a rapid serial fashion, to produce a further array having a plurality of fractions with different chemical and/or physical properties, each fraction being representative of a process stream that might be present in a refinery. Each of the plurality of fractions is analyzed to determine one or more chemical and/or physical properties of the fractions, the analyzes being performed at least partially in parallel.

Abstract: Process for evaluating the effect of a refinery feedstock on a refinery process by (i) providing a refinery feedstock (ii) treating the refinery feedstock to produce a plurality of fractions each representative of a feedstock for the refinery process, the plurality of fractions having at least two fractions with different properties; (iii) treating each of the plurality of fractions under experimental conditions representative of those in the refinery process, the treatments being carried out in an essentially parallel manner; and (iv) determining one or more performance criteria for each fraction for the refinery process by analyzing the respective product streams produced from each fraction at least partially in parallel.