Methanol Treatment for Permeability Restoration in Oil Shale after Water-Induced Permeability Damage

Elena D. Mukhina; Timur Unusov; Aliya Mukhametdinova; Alexandra Ushakova; Chengdong Yuan; Renbao Zhao; Alexey Cheremisin

doi:10.62762/JCERF.2025.702439

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Volume 1, Issue 1, Journal of Chemical Engineering and Renewable Fuels

Volume 1, Issue 1, 2025

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Journal of Chemical Engineering and Renewable Fuels, Volume 1, Issue 1, 2025: 22-27

Open Access | Research Article | 06 October 2025

Methanol Treatment for Permeability Restoration in Oil Shale after Water-Induced Permeability Damage

Elena D. Mukhina 1 *

Timur Unusov 1

Aliya Mukhametdinova 1

Alexandra Ushakova 2,3

Chengdong Yuan 1

Renbao Zhao 4

Alexey Cheremisin 1

1 Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143026, Russia

2 Sergo Ordzhonikidze Russian State University for Geological Prospecting, Moscow 117485, Russia

3 Oil and Gas Research Institute RAS, Moscow 119333, Russia

4 College of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China

* Corresponding Author: Elena D. Mukhina, [email protected]

DOI: 10.62762/JCERF.2025.702439

Received: 02 September 2025, Accepted: 15 September 2025, Published: 06 October 2025

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Abstract

This article presents core-flooding experiments on a Bazhenov Formation core sample designed to evaluate whether post-water methanol treatment can restore permeability. At reservoir conditions (110 °C, 23.5 MPa), the core was first water-flooded and then subjected to oil injection into the water-saturated rock, which caused severe, progressive permeability loss. NMR T1-T2 mapping captured fluid redistribution and the growth of bound/high-viscosity components. Gas chromatography indicated C36+-rich precipitates. A subsequent methanol flush stabilized the pressure drop and restored $\sim$87% of the pre-damage water permeability. These findings elucidate a water-oil-rock interaction pathway for rapid colmatation in Bazhenov shale and demonstrate an effective methanol-based protocol for permeability restoration.

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Keywords

oil shale

waterflooding

methanol

chemical EOR

Data Availability Statement

Data will be made available on request.

Funding

This work was supported without any funding.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Approval and Consent to Participate

Not applicable.

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Cite This Article

APA Style

Mukhina, E. D., Unusov, T., Mukhametdinova, A., Ushakova, A., Yuan, C., Zhao, R., & Cheremisin, A. (2025). Methanol Treatment for Permeability Restoration in Oil Shale after Water-Induced Permeability Damage. Journal of Chemical Engineering and Renewable Fuels, 1(1), 22–27. https://doi.org/10.62762/JCERF.2025.702439

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