Abstract: The type and amount of clay minerals in reservoirs are very important factors in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) by chemical flooding. Especially, the influence of clay- alkali reaction is vital. In this research, we state the reaction mechanism and basic principles between common clay minerals and common alkalis used in EOR, alkali consumption, various key factors and corresponding effects. We also aim at studying and establishing alkali
consumption prediction model. On the basis of previous achievements, we have established the studying method of alkali consumption of clays. The method can not only be used for evaluating the magnitude of alkali
consumption in kinetic sandpack flooding experiments, also has very important scientific values in the fields of predicting alkali transmission in actual reservoirs.

Key words: Reservoir stratum, Clay, Alkali, Mathematical model, Chemical displacement of reservoir oil