Influence of Smart Water Chemistry on the Hydration and Swelling Behavior of Ca-Bentonite: Experimental Insights from a Combined Washburn-Immersion Methodology for EOR Applications

The influence of smart water chemistry on the hydration and swelling behavior of Ca-bentonite was investigated using a combined Washburn-Immersion methodology. Distilled water, Base Brine A-Target ۲, and Base Brine B-Target ۲ were evaluated to quantify fluid uptake, interlayer adsorption, interlayer fluid density, and swelling behavior. The final interlayer adsorption decreased from ۲.۵۵ g (water) to ۲.۳۲ g (Base Brine A) and ۱.۸۷ g (Base Brine B), while the corresponding swelling volume declined from ۰.۴۷ to ۰.۴۴ and ۰.۳۵ cm³ g⁻¹, respectively. The results demonstrate that increasing salinity and divalent ion concentration suppress clay hydration and swelling, providing mechanistic insight into clay-brine interactions and supporting the design of smart water formulations that may help minimize clay-related formation damage and improve injection performance in carbonate EOR applications.

کلیدواژه ها:

Smart Water ، Enhanced Oil Recovery ، Bentonite ، Clay Swelling ، Washburn-Immersion