Water Soluble Acrylamidomethyl Propane Sulfonate (AMPS) Copolymer as an Enhanced Oil Recovery Chemical

Abstract

A high molecular weight (>10 6 ) copolymer of N,N-dimethyl acrylamide with Na-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonate (NNDAM-NaAMPS) was prepared and characterized. The efficacy of the copolymer as an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) chemical was studied. Core flood tests using 72-150 mesh size unconsolidated sand having a porosity of 42% were carried out at different brine concentrations and temperatures. Initially, a crude oil fraction (150-300 °C) and, finally, the crude itself were used as the oils to be recovered. The copolymer was brine compatible. After a water flood, about 5.6% original oil in place (OIP) could be recovered by injecting 2000 ppm polymer solution to the sand pack containing oil fraction and 5000 ppm NaCl brine. The polymer solution was found to be thermally stable at 120 °C at least for a period of 1 month. It was further confirmed that the residual oil recovery increased with the increase of temperature. About 11% of OIP could be recovered as additional oil by injecting a 2000 ppm polymer solution to the unconsolidated sand pack containing one of the Indian crude oils and brine consisting of monoand bivalent metal ions at 90 °C.

Preparation and characterization of cross‐linked polymeric nanoparticles for enhanced oil recovery applications

“…Polymers are frequently used in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications. [1][2][3][4] They act as rheology modifiers to alter the viscosity of the continuous phase, improve the mobility ratio and sweep efficiency, and increase recovery and oil production rates. The polymer system must withstand the serve conditions in the oil reservoir.…”

“…Polymer systems of various natures are suggested for polymer flooding, such as polyacrylamides, 1,3 xanthanes, 6,7 as well as more complex polymers, mixtures of polymers, 2,6 and polymer-surfactant mixtures. 4,8 Despite these promising polymer systems for EOR, there is still along way to go to find an optimal system for the high salinities and temperatures in the reservoirs off-shore Norway, especially because these polymers, in addition to being able to show good stability at these harsh conditions, also need to be classified as environmentally friendly.…”

Evaluation of modified cationic starch for impeding polymer channeling and in-depth profile control after polymer flooding

“…plug high permeability zones as an in-depth profile modification agent making succeeding injected water flow to mid-low permeability zones to improve oil recovery [13][14][15][16]. Influence of high shear rates to the gel system viscosity was determined with RS-75 rheometer.…”

Rheological properties of poly(acrylamide-co-sodium acrylate) and poly(acrylamide-co-sodium vinylsulfonate) solutions

“…However, HPAM has many disadvantages in oil recovery. For example, the viscosity of HPAM aqueous solution exhibits an abrupt reduction in 3% brine [7] . It suffers excessive thermal hydrolysis at high temperatures and as a result may precipitate in the presence of bivalent cations.…”

“…Substituted or modified monomer, can yield a better product which may be polyacrylamides, or those copolymerized with a suitable thermally stable, salt tolerant or shear endurant [8−9] . It is established that the copolymers of acrylamide with monomers including sulfonic group offer polyelectrolyte behavior in aqueous solutions-characteristics of special interest to tertiary oil recovery [7] .…”