UNIVERSITY OF KARBALA

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

PETROLEUM ENG. DEP

Simulaiton methods for polymer flooding

to improve oil recovery

A Report

Submitted to petroleum engineering department of university of karbala

By:--

Ali Mahmoud Ayal

Supervisor:

Dr. Dheiaa Alfarge

Date

28/6/2020

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 Abstract

Polymer flooding is the most important enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process, improving the
water–oil mobility ratio. Polymers act basically increasing the viscosity of the injected water and
reducing the swept zone permeability, allowing an increase in the vertical and areal sweep
.efficiency of the water injection, and, consequently, increasing oil recovery

INTRODUCTION

Chemical flooding methods are considered as a special branch of EOR processes to

produce residual oil after water flooding. These methods are utilized in order to reduce
the interfacial tension, to increase brine viscosity for mobility control, and to increase
sweep efficiency during ter-tiary oil recovery. Polymers tend to work better in different
conditions, thus several factors would be taken into considera-tion. It is necessary to consider
the reservoir permeability and oil viscosity and several other reservoir properties of optimum
application [1]. A thorough Cloud point analysis for thermal stability in high brine
concentrations and high temperature reservoir must be conducted to prevent precipitation
.during polymer injection or flow through the reservoir

Polymer flooding is favourable for reservoirs where the oil viscosity is high compared to brine
viscosity, or in reservoirs where the heterogeneity is dominating the displacement process. Better
.sweep efficiency can accelerate oil production and may also enhance oil recovery

The recovery efficiency of heavy oil reservoirs (oil viscosity more than 100 cP) is rather low,
typically about 10-20% of the oil in place. In order to improve oil recovery, polymer assisted
.waterflood is one of the options to be investigated

The polymer applications in heavy oil reservoirs aim to stabilize the flood front and reduce
viscous fingering. Polymer injection is currently attracting a lot of attention as polymer flooding
can improve recovery for a wide large of reservoir applications from low oil viscosity to even
. extra heavy oil

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 Theory

Polymer flooding numerical simulation software

The Polymer Flooding Numerical Simulation Software helps customers carry out the works
of polymer flooding mechanism study, program optimization, effect prediction and
quantification of risudual oil sistriution , guides th eimplementation of the development plan and
the comprehensive adjustment in the process of developing. The software has been successfully
applied in many oil fields both at home and abroad, and the prediction accuracy of numerical
.simulation has reached above 95%
.

Figure (1) Predicting residual oil saturation distribution by numerical Simulation

optimal design and consultation of Polymer flooding program

Based on the advanced reservoir management concept, provides customers with physical
simulation, numerical simulation and economic evaluation services for different type of
reservoirs and characteristics in different developing phases, as well as provides high-efficiency
development program for polymer flooding reservoirs that is guaranteed through technologies
with economic result and recovery.

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 Figure (2) optimal design of Polymer flooding program

Polymer Flooding Production Engineering Technologies

Polymer Flooding Production Engineering Technology can solve the problems existed in the
development of polymer flooding such as monolayer breakthrough, blockage at the surrounding
area of injection-production well, shorter effective period of stimulation measures, serious
eccentric wear of lifting equipment, etc.

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 Polymer Flooding Separate Zone Injection Technology

Polymer Flooding Separate Zone Injection Technology is able to fulfill the adjustment of
polymer injection profile adjustment, increase conformance ratio of polymer injection and
improve overall development effects of polymer flooding [1]. under the different reservoir
conditions, provides customers with two different injection injection technologies: the concentric
injection, and the separate mass and pressure, for effective control of injection rate at eachlayer
and its molecular weight .

Polymer Flooding Stimulation Technology

Polymer Flooding StimulationTM and Stimulated Injection Technology includes Chemical

Compound un-plugging Technology for injection-production well and Resin Bonded Sand
Stimulation Technology for polymer-injection well, which is able to improve the permeability of
reservoir. The Chemical Compound un-plugging Technology for injection-production well helps
customers to remove the blockage caused by polymer lumps, mechanical impurities and drilling
liquid pollution. The valid period of plug-removal is over six months in field application. The
Resin Bonded Sand Stimulation Technology for polymer injection well is able to overcome the
prop pants displacement caused by polymer flooding highviscosity fluid, decelerate early closing
of artificial cracks nearby the shaft and prolong the valid period of fracturing. It has been applied
totally to over 400 wells only at daqing oilfield and valid period for each. emasurement up to 16
months.

Quartz sand sha

ft

oil reservoir

Figure (3) diagram of resin bonded sand stimulation for polymer injection well

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 .Numerical modeling and simulation

3D modeling is a useful tool to predict the efficiency of a polymer flooding, assuming that the
user has the proper understanding of the polymer characteristics and polymer flow properties.
The most critical issue is modeling the near-wellbore area to duplicate the results observed
during the field pilot injection. Polymer rheology regimes such as shear-thinning or shear-
thickening properties should be used carefully, together with a suitable understanding of the well
.completion, formation damages, and reservoir fractures

The most important parameters that can be obtained from the laboratory experiments that are
useful during numerical simulation of polymer flooding are resistance factors, such as retention
and residual resistance factors. If coreflooding experiments were not performed, it is possible to
use the low shear viscosity information obtained from conventional rheometers for simulation
purposes. Polymer degradation inside the reservoir is usually limited since the chemistry of the
polymer is always selected to ensure the stability of the polymer during polymer injection and
propagation throughout the reservoir. However, useful information can be gathered from long-
.term polymer stability tests

Polymer Types

Most of the polymers used for EOR fall into two sets: synthetic polymers and biopolymers.  The
most commonly used among them are synthetic (PAM) and partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide
(HPAM), the biological polysaccharide, Xanthan, and some modified natural polymers,
including HEC (hydroxyl ethyl cellulose), guar gum and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose,
carboxyethoxyhydroxyethylcellulose. [4] Every polymer has its own advantages and
disadvantages for a specific reservoir.

 PAM (Polyacrylamide) with its high molecular weight (> 1.0 × 106 g/mol) was the first
thickening agent used for aqueous solutions. PAM is stable up to 90°C at normal salinity
and up to 62°C at seawater salinity. Therefore, it is somewhat restricted to on-shore
operations only. [4] High salinity can dramatically reduce the viscosity properties of this
compound.

 Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) is one of the most popular polymer used
today. HPAM is obtained by partial hydrolysis of PAM or by copolymerization of
sodium acrylate with acrylamide. [4] HPAM's advantages include its tolerance to high
mechanical forces present during the flooding of a reservoir, low cost, and its resistance
to bacterial attack. This polymer can be used for temperatures up to 99°C depending on
brine hardness. A few of its modifications, such as HPAMAMPS co-polymers and
sulphonated polyacrylamide can withstand 104°C and 120°C respectively. [3] The

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 disadvantage of HPAM lies in its high sensitivity to the brine salinity, hardness and
presence of surfactants or other chemicals. This makes it very ineffective in reservoirs
containing salts. [4]

 Xanthan gum, a polysaccharide, is produced by different bacteria (one of which is

Xanthomonas campestris) through fermentation of glucose or fructose. The molecule
generally has very high molecular weight (2 - 50 × 106 g/mol) and very rigid polymer
chains. This makes Xanthan gum relatively insensitive to high salinity and hardness. The
polymer is compatible with most surfactants and other injection fluid additives used in
tertiary oil recovery formulations. Xanthan gum is usually produced as broth in
concentrated form that can be easily diluted to working concentrations without any
complex mixing equipment. Xanthan is thermally stable in the range from 70°C to 90°C.

Choosing the Best Polymer

Due to their different properties, polymers tend to work better or worse in different conditions.
Thus, before the application, one should take into account several factors to select the optimal
polymer used. To determine the best molecular weight of the polymer, it is necessary to consider
reservoir permeability and oil viscosity. [3] It is also important to consider the cloud point of the
polymer solution, which reflects polymer thermal stability in high salt brine and high
temperature. Incorrect measurement of this parameter can result in precipitations during injection
or flow through the reservoir. [4] Another essential parameter is the polymer retention, which
encompasses possible mechanisms responsible for the reduction of mean velocity of polymer
molecules during their flow through porous media. Retention is commonly attributed to polymer
adsorption, however, some polymers can be mechanically entrapped in porous medium or
hydrodynamically trapped in stagnant zones. [4] Thus, it is important to know the rock
composition and polymer adsorption level to determine the best anionicity (degree of
hydrolysis).

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 Fig. 4: Fingering effect promoted by the unfavorable mobility ratio (top), and good oil recovery
facilitated by the use of polymer flooding (bottom). (Source: G. Zerkalov)

Quality control

Routine quality control procedures are available to check the quality of the polymer to be
-: injected. The main parameters for polymer quality controls are

.Active content of the polymer: active material of the solid powder*

Yield viscosity: definition of the polymer concentration needed in the injection brine to *
.reach the target viscosity

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 .UL viscosity: viscosity of polymer solution at 0.1% active in 1 mole NaCl*

Filterability of the polymer solution: it is important to determine polymer dissolution issues,*

. such as the formation of undissolved polymer clusters and/or fish-eyes

The main points to consider during the design of polymer flooding for offshore applications are
-: the following

.Specific design considering footprint limitations and loads constraints*

Modular solution to limit the installation activities on the FPSO, platform, or any offshore *
vessel. Those modules should also comply with lifting/handling constrains such as crane
.limitation and specific offshore procedures, among others

Sensitivity to vibrations during operations (pumps running, conveying, etc.). Specific *

.attention shall be paid on loads interaction and structural issues

Hazardous classified area: specific design is to be provided to adapt equipment and modules*
to the hazardous classification constrains, especially for the control room, motor control
.center, and utilities shelters

Environmental conditions: consideration of the vessel motions (rolling, sagging, pitching, *

.heaving), wind loads, and blast loads on structural and equipment design

Corrosion: protection against the corrosive atmosphere (stainless steel equipment, *

.specific painting procedures, nitrogen blanketing, greasing)

Waste management and back produced water: use of chemicals offshore and possible *
.waste to be handled. Specific cleaning procedures have to be foreseen as well

Subsea: polymer is a shear sensitive chemical [2]. For offshore projects, nonshearing *
injection pumps should be used to transfer the injected solution through the main risers
up to the several subsea Christmas trees dedicated to each well. Choke valves will then
be used to control the flow and the pressure at each wellhead. Specific solutions shall
.be selected to minimize viscosity degradation

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 CONCLUSION

polymer injection showed an overall increase in Field Oil Recovery Efficiency (FOE), Field
Oil Pro-ducing Rate (FOPR), reduction in Field Gas Oil-Ratio (FGOR) and better pressure
maintenance when compared to a natural reservoir depletion case,. However, results also
sowed that there was an increased water production due to the water drive required to
flush the polymer and maintain the desired volumetric sweep of the flood. This increased
.water produc-tion is typically not desirable

Referances
Polymer Flooding By Antoine Thomas Submitted: October 5th 2015Reviewed: June 15th -1
.2016Published DOI: 10.5772/64623

.BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2015," British Petroleum, June 2015 -2

G. Glatz, "A Primer On Enhanced Oil Recovery." Physics 240, Stanford University, Fall -3
.2013

A. Z. Abidin, T. Puspasari, and W.A. Nugroho, "Polymers For Enhanced Oil Recovery -4
Technology," Procedia Chem. 4, 11 (2012)

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