| What is
believed to be occurring during the ARC Micro-solution
penetration process? |
The ARC Micro-solution systems associated with invading fluids
provide a production optimizing building process by:
1) initially penetrating the contaminating oil or water
layers within the exposed pores of the formation rock
through the solvent Micro-solution mechanism,
2) thereby driving micro-emulsification of the oil, water
or gel components into the aqueous phase and
3) water-wetting of the underlying solid surfaces through
the micro-meter sized surfactant/detergent action.
The results of these actions are the ARC Micro-solution systems
produce ultra-low interfacial tensions between the Micro-solution
phase and the excess oil and/or water phases increasing the
contact angle with the rock, thereby overcoming the capillary
forces that “trap” oil or water in a porous medium.
The Micro-solution surfactant and solvent components work
in a combined fashion to increase the penetration and cleaning
capacity of the product within the reservoir.
| How
do the ARC Micro-solution Technologies improve reservoir
performance? |
Penetration of the exposed pores within low perm reservoir
rock during the imbibition and invasion process by the single
phase ARC Micro-solutions is accomplished because the active
components are functioning in the 10 – 50 angstroms
micro-structure range. As the micro-emulsification of insitu
fluids takes place a temporary displacement of the pre-invasion
wetting phase within the pores to one of neutral wettability
transpires. In so doing the irreducible water saturation is
altered reestablishing ideal reservoir saturation, very low
interfacial surface energies are achieved and the relative
perm to hydrocarbons is increased.
| How
do ARC Micro-solution Technologies aid in controlling
leak-off in low perm reservoirs and deposited filtercakes? |
As the 10 – 50 angstroms micro-structures of the Micro-solution
enter they begin conglomerating near the borehole or fracture
face entrance of the pore. It is believed that the conglomerates
developed take on a polyhedral structure (soccer ball like
structure) known as Voronoi structures that when formed are
in the 10 – 150 nano-meters structural range. Together
these nano-structures behave as an equilibrium mass. These
conglomerated masses are believed to aid in restricting overall
fluid invasion as they effectively create a nano-environment
seal just inside of the exposed pores.
A similar process is believed to occur within semi-permeable
filtercakes where engineered external sealing efficiencies
are required. Not only does the Micro-solution improve the
control of static and dynamic leak-off where filtercakes are
concerned it also aids in the filtercake lift-off process
when a preflush containing the Micro-solution is used prior
to cementing or displacements.
| How
do ARC Micro-solution Technologies differ from conventional
surfactant and solvent technologies? |
Structurally the difference is very significant. Our Micro-solution
fluid technology is a thermodynamically stable single phase
Micro-solution system of oil, water and surfactants that is
optically isotropic. The systems dynamic ability to co-solubilize
oil and water is a key differentiator from single surfactant
or solvent products. The ARC Micro-solution fluids are introduced
into the reservoir in the micro-meter range of 10 –
50 angstroms building into polyhedral conglomerated structures
of the 10 – 150 nano-meter size (one order of magnitude
size difference). Performance wise this translates into very
low product concentration requirements because of their extremely
high surface area contact. Typical product concentration requirements
are ½ of 1% by volume. The ARC Micro-solution technologies
economic utility is very high.
Conventional surfactant and solvent products are typically
introduced into the well in the 500 – 1000 nano-meters
size range. This severely restricts their application window,
functionality and efficiency.
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