Experimental evaluation of carbonated brine-limestone interactions under reservoir conditions-emphasis on the effect of core scale heterogeneities

Overall, the results obtained show that the nature and degree of any change in the petrophysical properties of the rock samples vary to some degree from one sample to the next. This variation is found to depend on the significance and degree of dominance of the three mechanisms of mineral dissolution, mineral precipitation and mechanical compaction if they occur during the flooding process. The migration of carbonate fines also seems to be an important factor in shaping the post-flood sample properties. The presence of any initial core scale heterogeneity in the pre-flood samples is also believed to be a critical factor controlling the eventual outcome.