At elevated temperatures in aqueous solution, partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides (HPAM) experience hydrolysis of amide side groups. However, in the absence of dissolved oxygen and divalent cations, the polymer backbone can remain stable so that HPAM solutions were projected to maintain at least half their original viscosity for over 7 years at 100°C and about 2 years at 120°C. Within our experimental error, HPAM stability was the same with/without oil (decane). An acrylamide-AMPS copolymer (with 25% AMPS) showed similar stability to that for HPAM. Stability results were similar in brines with 0.3% NaCl, 3% NaCl, or 0.2% NaCl + 0.1% NaHCO 3 . At temperatures of 160°C and above, the polymers were more stable in brine with 2% NaCl + 1% NaHCO 3 than in the other brines. Even though no chemical oxygen scavengers or antioxidants were used in our study, we observed the highest level of thermal stability reported to date for these polymers. Our results provide considerable hope for the use of HPAM polymers in enhanced oil recovery at temperatures up to 120°C if contact with dissolved oxygen and divalent cations can be minimized.Calculations performed considering oxygen reaction with oil and pyrite revealed that dissolved oxygen will be removed quickly from injected waters and will not propagate very far into porous reservoir rock. These findings have two positive implications with respect to polymer floods in high-temperature reservoirs. First, dissolved oxygen that entered the reservoir prior to polymer injection will have been consumed and will not aggravate polymer degradation. Second, if an oxygen leak (in the surface facilities or piping) develops during the course of polymer injection, that oxygen will not compromise the stability of the polymer that was injected before the leak developed or the polymer that is injected after the leak is fixed. Of course, the polymer that is injected while the leak is active will be susceptible to oxidative degradation. Maintaining dissolved oxygen at undetectable levels is necessary to maximize polymer stability. This can readily be accomplished without the use of chemical oxygen scavengers or antioxidants.
IntroductionIn chemical flooding applications for enhanced oil recovery, polymers are needed to provide effective sweep efficiency and mobility control. Depending on injection rates, formation permeability, and well spacing, the polymers must be stable for many years at reservoir conditions. Two chemical species are known to critically impact stability for partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides (HPAM): divalent cations and oxygen.