Rapid and Cost Efficient EOR Screening using a
Rock-on-a-Chip Approach

Our Rock-on-a-Chip Microfluidic technology opens a new era of designing and optimising IOR/EOR oilfield applications and of screening EOR processes with various chemicals.

This pioneering technology captures images from the interactions between chemicals and hydrocarbons during flooding processes. The results provide a deeper understanding of EOR processes and chemicals, and a more informed EOR field application planning.

Our InspIOR turnkey microfluidic flooding systems allow fast and cost effective EOR process optimisation and EOR fluids screening capabilities. InspIOR, HOT’s flagship microfluidic flooding device, provides a professional experimental setup for IOR (brine, low salinity), chemical EOR (polymer, surfactant, alkaline, SP, AP, ASP, nanoparticles, etc.), microbial EOR and gas injection (foam, etc.) processes.

Our Technology: Your Window to Your Reservoir

Chemical EOR processes are usually optimised by phase behaviour and core flood experiments. However, phase behaviour is typically measured in test tubes and not under more realistic flow conditions in porous media. And core floods, despite being complex and time consuming, give only limited insight to oil mobilisation and displacement.

Our microfluidics technology is different, as it allows visual access to the porous system: we see the complex fluid-fluid interactions, oil mobilisation and displacement mechanisms happening. This in-depth information and knowledge gained allows us to better understand the many mechanisms of oil recovery and to support our customers in their decision-making process.

Our Micromodels are based on reservoir rock images, are transparent, allow for complex pore geometries, small pore throats and wettability control. This technology provides oil & gas operators and chemical companies the tool to systematically evaluate fluid systems in porous media, to screen and optimise EOR chemicals before embarking on core floods.

Our rock-on-a-chip microfluidic technology provides oil & gas operators and chemical companies the tool to systematically evaluate fluid systems in porous media, to screen and optimise EOR chemicals before embarking on core floods and EOR field applications.

Applications include, but are not limited to, the evaluation of brine, water, polymer, surfactant and alkaline EOR applications, gas injection and foam EOR processes.

HOT’s Microfluidics in a Nutshell

• Rapid and cost efficient IOR and EOR displacement process screening
• Stunning visualisation of the flow process through porous media
• Pioneering transparent micromodels (Glass-Silicon-Glass)
• No physical core material and only small fluid volumes required
• Customised chips based on reservoir rock images
• Wettability control using nanotechnology
• Reduced risk and improved success rate for IOR/EOR field applications

The Way to Your Rock on a Chip

We customise the porous structures used for the Micromodel experiments using different sources, including thin section images, μCT images or grain-size distributions to ensure your chips reflect the porosity and permeability of your reservoir.