Effect of shale core on combustion reactions of tight oil from Wolfcamp reservoir

A thermogravimetry analyzer was employed to investigate the effect of the shale core on the combustion reactions of the tight oil from the Wolfcamp shale reservoir for the air injection process (AIP). The result indicated that the shale cuttings show strong catalytic effect on tight oil combustion process. A considerable amount of coke was formed at the end of the fuel deposition stage after the addition of shale cuttings. This phenomenon could be beneficial for the combustion process at the high-temperature combustion stage, which is favorable for the implementation of the AIP with a shale oil reservoir.