Scale-up methods for micellar flooding and their verification

Design of micellar floods is largely based on laboratory experiments, which are usually unsealed. This paper describes scaling criteria for the proces s, derived from the basic flow equations, using Dimensional Analysis and In spectional Analysis. The derivations are based on three-phase (oleic, emuls ion, and aqueous), six-component (oil, water, surfactant, polymer, monovale nt ion, and divalent ion) flow in a porous medium. The general scaling crit eria were simplified for core floods, and verified by micellar floods in sc aled models. Model and prototype were geometrically scaled Berea cores. Pro totype performance was predicted using the model results and compared with the actual prototype results. Good agreement was obtained in most cases bet ween the actual and predicted oil production histories, showing the validit y of the scale-up. The scaling criteria derived can be used for designing a micellar flood. im plications of partial scaling are discussed for field applications.