Mechanisms of Low Salinity Water Flooding for Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Comprehensive Review

Authors

  • Prasenjit Talukdar Department of Petroleum Engineering, DUIET, Dibrugarh University, India
  • Bondita Robidas Department of Petroleum Engineering, DUIET, Dibrugarh University, India
  • Prasun Banik Department of Petroleum Engineering, DUIET, Dibrugarh University, India
  • Bhaskar Jyoti Saikia Department of Petroleum Engineering, DUIET, Dibrugarh University, India
  • Ishan Baruah Department of Petroleum Engineering, DUIET, Dibrugarh University, India
  • Irshad Akter Department of Petroleum Engineering, DUIET, Dibrugarh University, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63278/1343

Keywords:

Low Salinity Water Flooding (LSWF); Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR); Wettability Alteration; Multicomponent Ion Exchange (MIE); Electrical Double Layer (EDL)

Abstract

In the recent times, low salinity water flooding (LSWF) has been observed as a promising enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technique both in sandstone and carbonate reservoirs. It involves injection of low salinity water which alters the wettability and interfacial properties of the reservoir rock and crude oil, thus leading to improved oil recovery. This paper presents an overview of the current state of knowledge on the mechanisms of LSWF, gained from both experimental studies and field applications. The results obtained from laboratory analysis and field applications of LSWF have been critically reviewed showing a mixed response in sandstone and carbonate reservoirs. However, the efficacy of LSWF is dependent on various factors, like, reservoir properties, injection water composition and operating conditions. In this paper, a review of the various mechanisms like fines mobilization, wettability alteration, pH reversal, multicomponent ion exchange (MIE), mineral dissolution, micro-dispersion formation etc., affecting the improved oil recovery with LSWF in both sandstone and carbonate reservoirs have been highlighted. This review work can be helpful in proper designing of LSWF in view of the operating parameters and its successful implementation, through a better understanding of its mechanisms depending on different reservoir properties.

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Published

2025-03-13

How to Cite

Prasenjit Talukdar, Bondita Robidas, Prasun Banik, Bhaskar Jyoti Saikia, Ishan Baruah, and Irshad Akter. 2025. “Mechanisms of Low Salinity Water Flooding for Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Comprehensive Review ”. Metallurgical and Materials Engineering 31 (3):156-66. https://doi.org/10.63278/1343.

Issue

Vol. 31 No. 3 (2025)

Section

Research

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Copyright (c) 2025 Prasenjit Talukdar, Bondita Robidas, Prasun Banik, Bhaskar Jyoti Saikia, Ishan Baruah, Irshad Akter

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