Enhancing oil recovery using SeMAR chemical solutions: a case study from Hemiar oilfield in the Masila Basin, Eastern Yemen

Smart Chemical Modifier (SeMAR) is a crucial enhanced oil recovery technique for petroleum production, particularly in the heterogeneous sandstone system. This study focuses on the application of SeMAR for enhancing oil recovery in the Hemiar oilfield, located in the Masila Basin of Eastern Yemen. In the Hemiar oilfield, the S2 sandstone reservoir presents complex mineralogy due the depositional and diagenetic processes, exhibiting low permeability system. The aim of the current study was to assess the influence of SeMAR on the behavior of the heavy oil collected from 19 core samples in diffrent burial depths in the Hemiar-21exploration well. In this case, different chemical formulations of the SeMAR were used to achieve a precise the efficiency of heavy oil displacement using different laboratory tests such as phase behavior, compatibility, spontaneous imbibition, emulsion viscosity measurement, and core rock stability. The highlighted results demonstrate that the SeMAR formulations improve the efficiency of heavy oil displacement from the heterogeneous sandstone reservoir system in the Hemiar Field, particularly 1% S16A formulation. The 1% S16A was the most effective surfactant, exhibiting the lowest viscosity (7.0 cp.) at a 50% oil concentration, which enhanced the oil mobility and recovery efficiency. The results of this study provide promising insights into the optimization of SeMAR formulations to maximize oil recovery in the Hemiar Field, with a relatively high oil recovery factor, reaching up to 25%.