Next-Generation Displacement Fluids for Enhanced Oil Recovery

Abstract

Multiple analysis has indicated that over 50% of the oil production in the next 20-25 years is going to be produced through enhanced recovery procedures including polymer flooding. The heuristics for polymer flooding says that it is feasible to apply polymer flooding in reservoirs having oil viscosities in the range of 10 to 150 mPa.s. The main factor limiting this heuristic limit for polymer floods is that the injected water viscosity required for higher mobility ratio leads to pumping inefficiencies and low polymer injectivity rates. In this paper, we suggest a supramolecule based on the complexation of a long-chain amino-amide and maleic acid which can adjust its viscosity values reversibly to overcome the heuristic problem related to polymer floods. The concept is fundamentally based on the fact the supramolecule system which is injected in the reservoir will initially be maintained at a low viscosity and on application of external pH stimuli will increase in viscosity values prior to contact with oil. Our laboratory studies indicate that such a system is also tolerant to high temperatures and salinities Popular polymer systems used floe EOR purposes on experiencing extreme shear stresses and temperature break-up and degrade, however the supramolecule system dissemble and reassemble making the supramolecular system "healable" in a manner. The supramolecular systems can also adapt to confining environments, for example, on flow through narrow channels, the supramolecules undergo molecular scission. The supramolecules proposed could be used for viscous oil in thin oil sand zones, permafrost and other environmentally constraining systems. This paper primarily focusses, on the development and properties of a novel supramolecular system which has adjustable viscosities and interfacial properties and can be resistant to high temperatures and salinities. This Supramolecular system can significantly improve the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a polymer flood process and can be utilized universally.

Xanthan Gum Biopolymer as Soil-Stabilization Binder for Road Construction Using Local Soil in Sri Lanka

“…The strength enhancement (increased UCS strength compared with reference UCS value) per unit cost (USD) of C8F2 and C6F4 binders was ΔðþÞ0.28 MPa=USD and ΔðþÞ0.24 MPa=USD for 5% binder treatment, respectively, whereas that of 1% XG treatment is ΔðþÞ0.13 MPa=USD. Although the global market price of XG substantially decreased during recent decades and is currently USD3=kg on average (Chang et al 2015b(Chang et al , 2016bYegin et al 2017), the material cost of XG for a unit weight (1 ton) of local soil treatment is still more expensive than C8F2 and C6F4 binders. However, the life-cycle cost of XG treatment may be lower than that of cement treatment due to fewer concerns relating to demolition waste of biopolymer-treated soils according to the biodegradability of biopolymers (Niaounakis 2013;Plackett 2011).…”

Experimental investigation of the displacement flow mechanism and oil recovery in primary polymer flood operations

“…Theoretical evidence shows that polymers can significantly increase the viscosity of a fluid and reduce the water/oilmobility ratio, thus improving the volumetric sweep efficiency and ultimate oil recovery [4,5]. In this regard, the modelling of oil production by polymer flooding requires a comprehensive understanding of rock-fluid interaction for oilfield applications since polymer flooding is becoming more extensively implemented not only for pilot tests but also at the field scale operational level [6][7][8][9].…”

Synthesis and evaluation of Jatropha oil-based emulsified acids for matrix acidizing of carbonate rocks

“…Triglyceride oils such as from palm, coconut, sunflower, and Jatropha curcas have been utilized in various oil and gas exploration and production phases, such as in drilling (Adesina et al 2012;Fadairo et al 2013) and enhanced oil recovery operations as surfactants (Majidaie et al 2012;Mumtaz et al 2015;Soffian et al 2015;Karasinghe et al 2016;Nordiyana et al 2016) oil phases for drilling and completion fluids (Amanullah 2005;Okeke et al 2013;Yegin et al 2017) and corrosion inhibitors (Anand and Meenakshi 2011;Malarvizhi et al 2015;Rostron et al 2017) due to being non-toxic, biodegradable and possessing high viscosity, thermal stability, corrosion inhibition and effective interfacial tension alteration capabilities; these properties enable greater cutting carrying capability in drilling fluids (Fadairo et al 2013), better miscibility of fluids in flooding operations (Jeirani et al 2006) and prevention against deterioration of subsurface metal equipment (Mohadyaldinn et al 2017).…”