The effect of brine pH, concentration and temperature on zeta potential measured in natural sandstones

Abstract:

The zeta potential is a measure of the electrical potential of the mineral surfaces in water-saturated rocks. In many subsurface settings the rocks are at elevated temperature, yet the temperature dependence of the zeta potential remains poorly understood. There are few previous experimental studies and these report inconsistent and contradictory behaviour; some studies have found that the zeta potential increases in magnitude with increasing temperature while others have found that it decreases in magnitude. Moreover, few studies have investigated salt concentrations relevant to natural systems; most used de-ionised water or NaCl/KCl electrolytes at low ionic strength (10^-3M). Natural groundwater is typically more saline than this.

We report measurements of the zeta potential of natural sandstones saturated with NaCl brines of varying ionic strength at temperatures up to 150°C. We find that the zeta potential is always negative, but decreases in magnitude with increasing temperature at in 0.01M NaCl brine (comparable to potable water) and is independent of temperature in 0.5M brine (comparable to seawater). In unbuffered experiments, the pH also decreases with increasing temperature at low ionic strength, but remains constant at higher ionic strength. The temperature dependence of the zeta potential can be explained by the temperature dependence of the pH.

Our findings are consistent with published models of the zeta potential, so long as the temperature dependence of the pH at low ionic strength is accounted for. Moreover, they explain the hitherto contradictory results reported in previous studies that used low ionic strength electrolytes. In unbuffered experiments, the pH decreases with increasing temperature and the zeta potential decreases in magnitude. In experiments with fixed pH, the zeta potential increases in magnitude with increasing temperature. The results have broad application to deep sandstone reservoirs and hydrothermal fields.