An Innovative Approach to Make HPAM an Effective Solution to Optimize the Low Salinity ASP Application in Caracara Sur Field, Colombia - Field Case

Cubillos, H.; Stofferis, M.; Montes, Jesús; Rodríguez, R.; Prieto, C. Allende; Romero, Pedro; Blin, Nicolas; Panadero, Asier

doi:10.2118/174653-ms

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…The selection of polymer for the current field case has been explained elsewhere (Cubillos 2015). The authors found that hydrolyzed polyacrylamide was valid for this reservoir even though the high reservoir temperature (86°C).…”

Section: Polymer Selectionmentioning

confidence: 94%

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Design of an ASP Pilot for Caracara Sur Oilfield: Selection of Chemicals and Laboratory Assessment

Prieto

Rodríguez

Romero

et al. 2016

SPE Improved Oil Recovery Conference

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The design of an alkali-surfactant-polymer (ASP) formulation for chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery poses multiple challenges from the experimental point of view. The present research examines the laboratory procedures and experimental results aimed at selecting the most suitable chemicals for an ASP pilot trial at the Caracara Sur field (Los Llanos Basin, Colombia). The key challenge was the limited compatibility of the surfactant and polymer selected under reservoir conditions (temperature and total salinity), leading to phase separation of the ASP solution and losses of the activity of both chemicals. An extension of the experimental program was required to re-design the formulation and mitigate risks of damaging the formation in the following field trials. The formulation comprised an alkyl benzene sulfonate as main ingredient, a hydrolyzed polyacrylamide as viscosifying agent and some weak alkali to reach the optimum salinity of the mixture. A mono-alkyl diphenyl disulfonate ether was added as coupling agent to improve compatibility of the ASP mixture. The performance of the selected ASP formulation was assessed by means of interfacial tension measurements, long-term thermal stability tests and dynamic core-flooding tests. The formulation provided ultra-low interfacial tension (Ͻ 10 -2 mN/m) and viscosity enough to assure an appropriate mobility control. Hence, the formulation was considered to be suitable for further testing in the field pilot.

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Section: Polymer Selectionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…During the selection of the most suitable polymer (Cubillos 2015), the long-term thermal stability of different polymers in alkali-polymer solutions in production water was assessed according to the API RP 63 standard. The same approach is followed for the assessment of thermal stability of ASP solutions.…”

Section: Long-term Thermal Stabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of an ASP Pilot for Caracara Sur Oilfield: Selection of Chemicals and Laboratory Assessment

Prieto

Rodríguez

Romero

et al. 2016

SPE Improved Oil Recovery Conference

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Effect of different low salinity flooding schemes and the addition of alkali on the performance of low-salinity waterflooding during the recovery of heavy oil from unconsolidated sandstone

Bhicajee

Romero‐Zerón

2021

Fuel

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Polymers and Their Limits in Temperature, Salinity and Hardness: Theory and Practice

Delamaide¹

2018

SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition

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Polymer flooding is a mature Enhanced Oil Recovery process which is used worldwide in many large- scale field expansions. Encouraged by these positive results, operators are still looking at applying the process in new fields even in the context of low oil prices and are evaluating its feasibility in more challenging reservoir conditions: high salinity, high hardness and high temperature. Several solutions have been proposed to overcome the limitations of the conventional hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) in these types of challenging environments: biopolymers such as xanthan or scleroglucan, associative polymers, or co- or ter-polymers combining acrylamide with monomers such as ATBS or NVP. Each of these solutions has its advantages and disadvantages, which are not always clear for practicing engineers. Moreover, it is always interesting to study past field experience to confront theory with practice. This is what this paper proposes to do. The paper will first review the limits of conventional HPAM and other polymers that have been proposed for more challenging reservoir conditions. But more than that, it will focus on the field experience with each of these products to establish some practical guidelines for the selection of polymers depending on the reservoir and fluid characteristics. One first result of this review is that the limits of conventional HPAM may not be as low as usually expected. Biopolymers appear very sensitive to biodegradation and their success in the field has been limited. Associative polymers appear better suited to near-wellbore conformance control than to displacement processes and some of the new co and ter-polymers are currently being field tested with some measure of success. It appears that the main challenge lies with high temperature rather than high salinity; some field projects are currently ongoing in high salinity (200 g/L) and hardness. The paper will help set the current limits for polymer flooding in terms of temperature, salinity and hardness based on laboratory work and field experience. This will prove a useful guide for practicing engineers looking to pilot polymer injection in challenging reservoir conditions.

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An Innovative Approach to Make HPAM an Effective Solution to Optimize the Low Salinity ASP Application in Caracara Sur Field, Colombia - Field Case

Cited by 6 publications

References 11 publications

Design of an ASP Pilot for Caracara Sur Oilfield: Selection of Chemicals and Laboratory Assessment

Design of an ASP Pilot for Caracara Sur Oilfield: Selection of Chemicals and Laboratory Assessment

Effect of different low salinity flooding schemes and the addition of alkali on the performance of low-salinity waterflooding during the recovery of heavy oil from unconsolidated sandstone

Polymers and Their Limits in Temperature, Salinity and Hardness: Theory and Practice

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