GENERALIZED ADHESION MAPS FOR PREDICTING THIN-FILM TRANSITIONS

Thin film transition (TFT) phenomena are of special interest to the pe troleum industry. After crude-oil is trapped in reservoir rocks, it ca n alter the wettability of the rock surface, with profound implication s for the subsequent transport of fluids. Correlation between the TFT and wettability alteration is qualitatively evident from many experime nts. It is not clear, however, whether the TFT is a sufficient conditi on for wettability alteration. In this work we describe a generalized adhesion map, which locates the TFT in parameter space. Comparison of these maps with laboratory studies indicates that wettability alterati on involves other mechanisms in addition to the TFT. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.