Injectivity Loss in Polymer Floods: Causes, Preventions and Mitigations

Glasbergen, Gerard; Wever, D. A. Z.; Keijzer, Efraim; Farajzadeh, R.

doi:10.2118/175383-ms

Cited by 48 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Injectivity is the measurement of the ease with which the fluid can be injected into the reservoir . The high pressure generated by the viscoelastic polymer solutions during EOR reduces the injectivity . The generated pressure is much higher than predicted from the shear rheology …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…[11] The high pressure generated by the viscoelastic polymer solutions during EOR reduces the injectivity. [6,10,[12][13][14][15][16][17] The generated pressure is much higher than predicted from the shear rheology. [8,9,[18][19] Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides (hereafter called HPAM) and hydrophobic associative polymers (hereafter called AP) are two commonly used high MW viscoelastic polymers for heavy oil recovery applications.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Understanding the flow behaviour of copolymer and associative polymers in porous media using extensional viscosity characterization: Effect of hydrophobic association

2018

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Associative polymer (AP) and hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM), the two commonly used polymers for heavy oil recovery, are reported to exhibit very different flow behaviour in porous media despite having similar shear viscosity. The kind of hydrophobic association (intramolecular or intermolecular) that AP exhibit is concentration dependent and will influence both shear and elongational flow in the porous media. To understand flow behaviour of these two polymers in porous media, the role of hydrophobic association on shear and extensional rheology and its effect on the resistance factor (RF) and residual resistance factor in porous media are investigated over a non‐associating HPAM polymer. The results suggest that shear rheology and the Deborah number cannot explain the porous media flow behaviour. However, direct measurements of extensional properties using a capillary breakup extensional rheometer have shown the marginal difference between two polymers at a lower concentration (1000 ppm) and the considerable difference at a higher concentration (2000 ppm), indicating an intramolecular and intermolecular association, respectively. These results are in accordance with porous media observations where both polymers have shown a similar RF at 1000 ppm. Whereas, at 2000 ppm AP showed a much higher RF at low/intermediate fluxes, and a similar RF at high flux, suggesting the transformation from intermolecular association to intramolecular association. The significant drop in the extensional viscosity at high strain rates after exhibiting the maxima explains this behaviour.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the flow behaviour of copolymer and associative polymers in porous media using extensional viscosity characterization: Effect of hydrophobic association

2018

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“…The analytical equation in a single tube (Equation (5)) can be extended to account for real porous media by using the capillary bundle approach [23][24][25]. An equivalent radius of a capillary bundle model for porous media with known porosity (φ), permeability (K) and tortuosity (ψ) can be obtained by Equation (6). By calculating the Darcy velocity and substituting the equivalent radius (Equation (6)) into Equation (5), the apparent shear rate as a function of Darcy velocity can be obtained by Equation (7).…”

Section: In-situ Rheologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A large number of injectivity studies, both theoretical and experimental, have been performed in porous media during recent decades, albeit they were mainly studies of linear cores in the absence of residual oil [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Recently, Skauge et al [8] performed radial injectivity experiments showing significant reduction in differential pressure compared to linear core floods.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polymer Flow in Porous Media: Relevance to Enhanced Oil Recovery

Skauge

Zamani

Jacobsen

et al. 2018

Colloids and Interfaces

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Polymer flooding is one of the most successful chemical EOR (enhanced oil recovery) methods, and is primarily implemented to accelerate oil production by sweep improvement. However, additional benefits have extended the utility of polymer flooding. During the last decade, it has been evaluated for use in an increasing number of fields, both offshore and onshore. This is a consequence of (1) improved polymer properties, which extend their use to HTHS (high temperature high salinity) conditions and (2) increased understanding of flow mechanisms such as those for heavy oil mobilization. A key requirement for studying polymer performance is the control and prediction of in-situ porous medium rheology. The first part of this paper reviews recent developments in polymer flow in porous medium, with a focus on polymer in-situ rheology and injectivity. The second part of this paper reports polymer flow experiments conducted using the most widely applied polymer for EOR processes, HPAM (partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide). The experiments addressed highrate, near-wellbore behavior (radial flow), reservoir rate steady-state flow (linear flow) and the differences observed in terms of flow conditions. In addition, the impact of oil on polymer rheology was investigated and compared to single-phase polymer flow in Bentheimer sandstone rock material. Results show that the presence of oil leads to a reduction in apparent viscosity.

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“…oil content, chemical treatment, suspended solids, etc.) is key for the success of the project and the proper understanding of well injectivity before ascribing injectivity losses to polymer injection (Bennion, Bennion, Thomas & Bietz, 1998;Glasbergen, Wever, Keijzer & Farajzadeh, 2015).…”

Section: Polymer Injection Ratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Historical and recent observations in polymer floods: An update review

Manrique¹,

Ahmadi²,

Samani³

2017

CT&F Cienc. Tecnol. Futuro

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Polymer flooding has been the most widely used chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method. The experience gained over the past decades from laboratory studies to project design and field implementation has been well documented in the literature. The main objectives of this paper are to evaluate recent observations of polymer floods that report injection rates leading to pressure values above the formation fracture pressure (FFP), high polymer production, formation of tight emulsions and/or productivity losses.Based on this review, it can be concluded that no direct evidence exists to support that injecting polymer above the FFP will lead to more polymer production. However, uncertainties associated with the estimation of fracture propagation/dimensions using pressure Fall-Off Tests (FOT) still remain. High polymer production, other than severe channeling, is generally reported in large scale/commercial projects. The impact of oil geochemistry/ composition and water salinity on oil-water-polymer emulsions is commonly overlooked in polymer flood studies. The formation of in-situ emulsions can also explain the injectivity and/or productivity reduction and well test interpretation (i.e. FOT) reported in polymer floods. It was also identified that the OPEX (Operational Expenditures) associated with oil-water separation in the presence of polymer and productivity losses (i.e. workovers, stimulation costs) are generally underestimated. Finally, this review is expected to contribute with the planning, design and implementation of future polymer flood pilots and field expansions. OBSERVACIONES HISTÓRICAS Y RECIENTES EN INYECCIÓN DEPOLÍMEROS: REVISIÓN ACTUALIZADA. OBSERVAÇÕES HISTÓRICAS E RECENTES DE INJEÇÃO DE POLÍMEROS:REVISÃO ACTUALIZADA. EDUARDO MANRIQUE et. al. 18 L a inyección de polímeros es el método químico de recobro mejorado con mayor número de implementaciones a escala de campo. La experiencia adquirida en las últimas décadas desde estudios de laboratorio hasta el diseño e implementación de campo ha sido bien documentada en la literatura. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es evaluar observaciones recientes de proyectos de inyección de polímero reportando tasas de inyección por encima de la presión de fractura de la formación, alta producción de polímero, formación de emulsiones viscosas y/o pérdidas de productividad.Basados en esta revisión, se puede concluir de que no existen evidencias directas de que la inyección de polímero a tasas que impliquen superar la presión de fractura induzcan a una mayor producción de polímeros. Sin embargo, existen incertidumbres relacionadas con la estimación de las dimensiones y propagación de fracturas utilizando pruebas de caídas de presión (FOT). La alta producción de polímero, por razones diferentes a canalizaciones severas, generalmente se reportan en proyectos a escala comercial. Por otra parte, el impacto de la composición y geoquímica del crudo y de la salinidad del agua en la formación de emulsiones agua:petróleo:polímero ha sido subestimado en estudios de in...

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Injectivity Loss in Polymer Floods: Causes, Preventions and Mitigations

Cited by 48 publications

References 31 publications

Understanding the flow behaviour of copolymer and associative polymers in porous media using extensional viscosity characterization: Effect of hydrophobic association

Understanding the flow behaviour of copolymer and associative polymers in porous media using extensional viscosity characterization: Effect of hydrophobic association

Polymer Flow in Porous Media: Relevance to Enhanced Oil Recovery

Historical and recent observations in polymer floods: An update review

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