Polymer Technology
for Improved Oil Recovery (IOR)
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| One of the challenges
in the production of oil and gas
is that there is often a high rate
of brine co-produced with the hydrocarbons
from the reservoir. A common method
to reduce this influx of undesirable
water is to apply subsurface at
these wells polymer solutions that
will form gels or solids to block
this water. Successful treatments
will reduce the water rate, and
thereby allow additional crude oil
to be produced economically.
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| New polymers have been
developed at PEER, which reduce
this water influx, and extend this
technology to high temperatures
(to 200° C, or more), conditions
where a standard polyacrylamide-chromium
system can not be used. One novel
polymer material (A, shown below)
can form a visco-elastic plug, which
increases greatly the resistance
to water flow in our sand pack laboratory
tests. Another new material (B,
not shown) forms a highly viscous
liquid/gel or solid precipitate
that also have good thermal stability.
Parameters that influence the kinetics
have been evaluated, including chemical
composition, temperature, and reservoir
minerals. |
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Standard
polyacrylamide-chromium
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Novel
thermally-stable polymer
gel
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Another,
related application is to
have a polymer-containing
chemical system that can
be added to the water injected
into a reservoir to cause
selective plugging in-depth.
If designed correctly, the
chemical system will "pop"
and generate micro-particles
at some distance from the
water injection well. The
net result to plug previously
swept areas and force the
injected water to invade
portions of the reservoir
rich in remaining crude
oil lab tests in sand packs
demonstrate how such a chemical
system can create a "wave"
of flow resistance (increased
pressure)
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| PROJECTS:
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| Project 1: High
temperature chemical systems for
conformance control -- ChevronTexaco
sponsor
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| Project 2: Diversion
of injection water via polymers
with selective plugging attributes
-- Chevron Texaco sponsor
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