Wave Attenuation Factor in Ultrasonic Assisted Gravity Drainage Mechanism

Oil displacement through porous media under the effect of ultrasonic wave been theoretically and experimentally investigated in the past decades. It has been proved that ultrasonic energy can considerably increase the amount of oil recovery in an immiscible displacement process.Wave attenuation through porous media is one of the most important factors that should be considered when dealing with application of ultrasonic wave through porous media in order to enhance recovery.In this study, free fall gravity drainage process is performed in a high permeable porous medium made of glass beads. Also using a piston-like displacement method, considering constant capillary pressure through the experiment, considering Corey type approximation for relative permeabilities of both wetting and non-wetting phases and finally using curve matching technique, the value of attenuation factor of the ultrasonic energy which has been added to the equation as an additional pressure term is calculated.The results show that only a low percentage of the ultrasonic energy is applied to the flow of the fluid in the medium, however high increase of oil recovery is observed in the experiment. So, it could be concluded that ultrasonic waves can considerably increase the oil recovery in high permeable porous medium

Keywords:

Ultrasonic waves , wave attenuation , gravity drainage