Open AccessImproving reservoir conformance using gelled polymer systems. Quarterly report, 1 October 1995--31 December 1995
Author(s) -
D.W. Green,
G.P. Willhite,
C. S. Buller,
Stan McCool,
Shapour Vossoughi,
M.J. Michnick
Publication year - 1996
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/207064
Subject(s) - polyacrylamide , polymer , chemical engineering , porous medium , work (physics) , aqueous solution , process (computing) , materials science , porosity , process engineering , petroleum engineering , chemistry , chromatography , computer science , mechanical engineering , geology , composite material , engineering , organic chemistry , operating system
The general objectives are to (1) to identify and develop gelled polymer systems which have potential to improve reservoir conformance of fluid displacement processes, (2) to determine the performance of these systems in bulk and in porous media, and (3) to develop methods to predict the capability of these systems to recover oil from petroleum reservoirs. This work focuses on three types of gel systems -- an aqueous polysaccharide (KUSPL) system that gels as a function of pH, the chromium(Ill)-polyacrylamide system and the aluminum citrate-polyacrylamide system. Laboratory research is directed at the fundamental understanding of the physics and chemistry of the gelation process in bulk form and in porous media. This knowledge will be used to develop conceptual and mathematical models of the gelation process. Mathematical models will then be extended to predict the performance of gelled polymer treatments in oil reservoirs. Work has progressed on the size measurement of aggregates that form in the polyacrylamide-aluminum citrate ``colloidal dispersion`` system. The results from this study and other work on the polyacrylamide-aluminum citrate system indicate that aggregates and/or structure in the system may not occur unless the system is subjected to a shear deformation. Further work is required to determine if aggregates develop and crow in the polyacrylamide-aluminum citrate system