Abstract: Provided are methods of increasing the production of a hydrocarbon from a subterranean formation by waterflooding with injection solutions containing dihydrogen phosphate ions.

Abstract: A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon bearing formation includes introducing a first solution having a first salt into the hydrocarbon bearing formation. A second solution is also introduced into the hydrocarbon bearing formation, wherein the second solution has a second salt and a foaming agent. The first salt and the second salt produces a nitrogen gas, and the nitrogen gas and the foaming agent produces a foam formed in-situ within the formation. The foam forms a foam barrier, and carbon dioxide is introduced into the formation to form a gas cap, wherein the carbon dioxide gas cap has a gas front that is separated from the hydrocarbons by the foam barrier.

Abstract: A method and a system for oil recovery are provided. An exemplary method includes injecting thickened carbon dioxide (CO2) into the top of a reservoir containing oil. An interface is formed between the thickened CO2 and the oil. The oil is mobilized by the thickened CO2. The mobilized oil is recovered with a recovery well drilled below the reservoir.

Abstract: A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-containing formation. The method may include determining the hydrocarbon-containing formation pressure, temperature, and other properties such as the total acid number and total base number of the hydrocarbons, rock type, and brine ionic composition. The method may also include determining a desired amount of wettability alteration of the formation and modeling the formation. Modeling the formation may be based on the determined pressure, temperature, total acid number and total base number of the hydrocarbons, rock type, and brine ionic composition. The method may also include preparing an aqueous wellbore fluid based on the estimated wellbore fluid composition and injecting the aqueous wellbore fluid into the hydrocarbon-containing formation.

Abstract: A method to improve the efficiency of a gravity drainage CO2 gas injection process includes the steps of: (a) injecting a slug proximate to an underground reservoir, wherein the slug comprises a polymer component and an inorganic metal ion type crosslinking agent that are configured to form an in situ weak gel in the reservoir to block high permeability channels in a pay zone of the reservoir; and (b) continuously injecting CO2 gas at a top of the pay zone to form a gas cap at the top of the reservoir and to cause the gas cap to advance rapidly towards a producing well located below to provide a uniform sweep of the gas cap.

Abstract: A method to improve the efficiency of a gravity drainage CO2 gas injection process includes the steps of: (a) injecting a slug proximate to an underground reservoir, wherein the slug comprises a polymer component and an inorganic metal ion type crosslinking agent that are configured to form an in situ weak gel in the reservoir to block high permeability channels in a pay zone of the reservoir; and (b) continuously injecting CO2 gas at a top of the pay zone to form a gas cap at the top of the reservoir and to cause the gas cap to advance rapidly towards a producing well located below to provide a uniform sweep of the gas cap.

Abstract: A method and a system for oil recovery are provided. An exemplary method includes injecting thickened carbon dioxide (CO2) into the top of a reservoir containing oil. An interface is formed between the thickened CO2 and the oil. The oil is mobilized by the thickened CO2. The mobilized oil is recovered with a recovery well drilled below the reservoir.

Abstract: Described is a method for treating hydrocarbons in a reservoir. A foaming surfactant solution and a foaming gas are introduced into the upper portion of a reservoir such that barrier foam bubbles form. Then, super/critical carbon dioxide is introduced such that a CO2 cap forms. The CO2 cap is formed above a foam barrier of aggregated barrier foam bubbles positioned at an interface between hydrocarbons to be treated in the reservoir and the CO2 cap. The super/critical carbon dioxide is introduced into the reservoir at an injection rate that is greater than a pre-treatment critical gas injection rate. Hydrocarbons are recovered from a lower portion of the reservoir.

Abstract: A method for treating hydrocarbons in a reservoir is provided. The method includes the steps of introducing a foaming surfactant solution and a foaming gas into the upper portion of a reservoir such that barrier foam bubbles form. The method includes introducing super/critical carbon dioxide such that a CO2 cap forms. The CO2 cap forms above a foam barrier positioned at an interface between the hydrocarbons to be treated in the reservoir and the CO2 cap. The foam barrier comprises aggregated barrier foam bubbles. The super/critical carbon dioxide is introduced into the reservoir at an injection rate that is greater than a pre-treatment critical gas injection rate. Hydrocarbons are recovered from a lower portion of the reservoir. The barrier foam bubbles that form are comprised of a foaming gas that has diminished solubility in aqueous solutions as compared with other gases, such as carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon bearing formation includes introducing a first solution having a first salt into the hydrocarbon bearing formation. A second solution is also introduced into the hydrocarbon bearing formation, wherein the second solution has a second salt and a foaming agent. The first salt and the second salt produces a nitrogen gas, and the nitrogen gas and the foaming agent produces a foam formed in-situ within the formation. The foam forms a foam barrier, and carbon dioxide is introduced into the formation to form a gas cap, wherein the carbon dioxide gas cap has a gas front that is separated from the hydrocarbons by the foam barrier.

Abstract: A method for modeling hydrocarbon recovery workflow is disclosed. The method involves obtaining, by a computer processor, stimulation data and reservoir data regarding a region of interest, wherein the stimulation data describe a water flooding process performed in the reservoir region of interest by one or more enhanced-recovery wells. The method may include determining, by the computer processor, a multi-phase Darcy model for the reservoir region of interest using the reservoir data and the stimulation data. The multi-phase Darcy model determines a fluid phase flow rate using a pressure gradient, an absolute permeability value, and a relative permeability value. The method may include determining, by the computer processor, a plurality of relative permeability values for the reservoir region of interest based on a plurality of fluid-fluid interface correlations and an interpolating parameter.

Abstract: A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-containing formation. The method may include determining the hydrocarbon-containing formation pressure, temperature, and other properties such as the total acid number and total base number of the hydrocarbons, rock type, and brine ionic composition. The method may also include determining a desired amount of wettability alteration of the formation and modeling the formation. Modeling the formation may be based on the determined pressure, temperature, total acid number and total base number of the hydrocarbons, rock type, and brine ionic composition. The method may also include preparing an aqueous wellbore fluid based on the estimated wellbore fluid composition and injecting the aqueous wellbore fluid into the hydrocarbon-containing formation.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for treating a subterranean formation. The compositions can include positively and negatively charged divalent ions and a total dissolved solids concentration between 2000 and 3000 ppm. In some implementations, the composition includes calcium and magnesium ions. In some implementations, the composition includes sodium, chloride, and bicarbonate ions. In some implementations, the composition includes iodide, phosphate, or borate ions, or any combination thereof. Methods for treating the subterranean formation can include flowing a first aqueous solution that includes sodium ions into the subterranean formation and flowing a second aqueous solution that has a lower salinity than the first aqueous solution into the subterranean formation, where the second aqueous solution includes positively charged divalent ions, negatively charged divalent ions, and a total dissolved solids concentration between 2000 and 30000 ppm.

Abstract: A method for selecting a surfactant solution for use in an enhanced oil recovery process may include contacting a surfactant solution with crude oil to produce a crude/surfactant mixture, compressing the interface between the crude oil and the surfactant solution in a Langmuir trough to obtain an interface pressure versus surface area isotherm, calculating an interface compression energy of the interface between the crude oil and the surfactant solution by integrating the interface pressure versus surface area isotherm, and selecting the surfactant solution for use in an enhanced oil recovery process if the interface compression energy of the interface between the crude oil and the surfactant solution is at most 100 Ergs.

Abstract: A method includes alternating between (a) applying an electric current to a subterranean formation and (b) flowing an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) treatment fluid into a wellbore formed in the subterranean formation. The method includes flowing an aqueous salt solution into the wellbore to mobilize hydrocarbons within the subterranean formation after alternating between (a) and (b).

Abstract: An oil recovery method may include injecting 0.05 to 0.25 pore volumes of low-salinity water having 4,000-8,000 ppm of total dissolved solids into a reservoir, and then applying seismic stimulation to the reservoir for a predetermined duration. The steps of injecting low-salinity water and applying seismic stimulation are repeated until 0.25 to 1.0 pore volumes of the low-salinity water has been added to the reservoir. Then, high-salinity water having 35,000 to 57,000 ppm of total dissolved solids is introduced to the reservoir.

Abstract: A method includes alternating between (a) applying an electric current to a subterranean formation and (b) flowing an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) treatment fluid into a wellbore formed in the subterranean formation. The method includes flowing an aqueous salt solution into the wellbore to mobilize hydrocarbons within the subterranean formation after alternating between (a) and (b).

Abstract: An oil recovery method may include injecting 0.05 to 0.25 pore volumes of low-salinity water having 4,000-8,000 ppm of total dissolved solids into a reservoir, and then applying seismic stimulation to the reservoir for a predetermined duration. The steps of injecting low-salinity water and applying seismic stimulation are repeated until 0.25 to 1.0 pore volumes of the low-salinity water has been added to the reservoir. Then, high-salinity water having 35,000 to 57,000 ppm of total dissolved solids is introduced to the reservoir.

Abstract: The application discloses foam compositions, methods to produce foam compositions, and methods to increase hydrocarbon production by displacing a hydrocarbon product with a foam composition. The foam composition includes an aqueous phase that typically includes an amphoteric surfactant and inorganic ions.

Abstract: A method for selecting a surfactant solution for use in an enhanced oil recovery process may include contacting a surfactant solution with crude oil to produce a crude/surfactant mixture, compressing the interface between the crude oil and the surfactant solution in a Langmuir trough to obtain an interface pressure versus surface area isotherm, calculating an interface compression energy of the interface between the crude oil and the surfactant solution by integrating the interface pressure versus surface area isotherm, and selecting the surfactant solution for use in an enhanced oil recovery process if the interface compression energy of the interface between the crude oil and the surfactant solution is at most 100 Ergs.