Molecular Dynamics Simulation of the Effect of Shale Wettability on CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery

Abstract

The wettability of shale is an important factor affecting oil and gas extraction, and conventional experimental methods are difficult to study at the nanoscale. Moreover, most existing studies are qualitatively based on the wettability of rock surfaces with little consideration for their impact on the CO₂-EOR. This study employs molecular dynamics simulation methods to conduct an in-depth analysis of the role of rock surface wettability in the CO₂-enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process. The research findings indicate that as the surface hydroxyl content increases, the adsorption affinity for CO₂ is enhanced, with the selectivity increasing exponentially from 0.74 in the strongly oleophilic wetting (SOW) pore to 3.62 in the strong hydrophilic wetting (SHW) pore. Additionally, variations in wettability result in different types of CO₂ displacement. As oil wettability decreases, the contact interface between CO₂ and oil changes from a convex to a concave shape. Moreover, different types of wettability result in different dynamic contact angle changes over time, which significantly impacts various displacement stages. A comprehensive comparison shows that pores exhibiting oil-wet characteristics reduce the efficiency of the CO₂-EOR. Finally, the investigation explored the influence of pore structure on oil displacement efficiency. In double pores, when the larger pores exhibit hydrophobic characteristics, they further accelerate the displacement speed of the smaller pores. In connected pores, the presence of notch speeds up the displacement effect within the smaller pores, reducing the impact of wettability on displacement efficiency. This study deeply analyzes the role of shale surface wettability in the CO₂-EOR process, revealing the impact of wettability on the CO₂ adsorption affinity, fluid displacement, oil displacement efficiency, and flow characteristics of shale oil, providing an important theoretical basis for optimizing the CO₂-EOR process by adjusting wettability.