Chitosan/Polyacrylamide Green Gels for Water Control in High-Temperature Reservoirs

Shamlooh, Mohamed; Elaf, Reem; Hussein, Ibnelwaleed A.; Saad, Mohamed; Bai, Baojun

doi:10.1021/acs.energyfuels.2c00242

Cited by 17 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Recently, our team has verified using chitosan as a green crosslinker to replace the PEI crosslinker and produce a stable in-situ polymeric gel in high-temperature and low-acidity reservoirs [27]. Chitosan is made from chitin, which is the second-most prevalent polymer in nature.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodegradable Preformed Particle Gel (PPG) Made of Natural Chitosan Material for Water Shut-Off Application

et al. 2023

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Oil and gas extraction frequently produces substantial volumes of produced water, leading to several mechanical and environmental issues. Several methods have been applied over decades, including chemical processes such as in-situ crosslinked polymer gel and preformed particle gel, which are the most effective nowadays. This study developed a green and biodegradable PPG made of PAM and chitosan as a blocking agent for water shutoff, which will contribute to combating the toxicity of several commercially used PPGs. The applicability of chitosan to act as a crosslinker has been confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy and observed by scanning electron microscopy. Extensive swelling capacity measurements and rheological experiments were performed to examine the optimal formulation of PAM/Cs based on several PAM and chitosan concentrations and the effects of typical reservoir conditions, such as salinity, temperature, and pH. The optimum concentrations of PAM with 0.5 wt% chitosan were between 5–9 wt%, while the optimum chitosan amount with 6.5 wt% PAM was in the 0.25–0.5 wt% range, as these concentrations can produce PPGs with high swellability and sufficient strength. The swelling capacity of PAM/Cs is lower in high saline water (HSW) with a TDS of 67.2976 g/L compared with fresh water, which is related to the osmotic pressure gradient between the swelling medium and the PPG. The swelling capacity in freshwater was up to 80.37 g/g, while it is 18.73 g/g in HSW. The storage moduli were higher in HSW than freshwater, with ranges of 1695–5000 Pa and 2053–5989 Pa, respectively. The storage modulus of PAM/Cs samples was higher in a neutral medium (pH = 6), where the fluctuation behavior in different pH conditions is related to electrostatic repulsions and hydrogen bond formation. The increase in swelling capacity caused by the progressive increment in temperature is associated with the amide group’s hydrolysis to carboxylate groups. The sizes of the swollen particles are controllable since they are designed to be 0.63–1.62 mm in DIW and 0.86–1.00 mm in HSW. PAM/Cs showed promising swelling and rheological characteristics while demonstrating long-term thermal and hydrolytic stability in high-temperature and high-salinity conditions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodegradable Preformed Particle Gel (PPG) Made of Natural Chitosan Material for Water Shut-Off Application

et al. 2023

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“…Figure 13d illustrates the loss factor and complex viscosity estimation as a function of the angular frequency for three PPGs: Ag/PAMBA 25% , Ag/PAMBA 5% , and Ag/PAMBA 0.5% , following a 30 day aging period. The analysis of the loss factor in this section indicates whether the polymer exhibits solid-like or liquid-like behavior, 6 offering insights into the structural state after prolonged exposure to high-temperature and highsalinity conditions. The findings reveal that the PPGs have tan δ values ranging from 0.051 to 0.297.…”

Section: Effect Of Agingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These fluids form a cross-linked three-dimensional (3D) structure under specific conditions, blocking water flow and decreasing permeability. Various materials have been suggested and employed for in situ gels to seal formations completely or partially. − Our research groups have reported on these gel formulations. − …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of Agar-Based Preformed Particle Gel for Water Control in High-Salinity Reservoirs

Ben Ali,

Elaf,

Almakimi

et al. 2024

Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.

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Oil extraction faces challenges in cost and complexity due to excessive water production, leading to diminished hydrocarbon recovery. Preformed particle gels (PPGs) hold promise for enhancing oil recovery and sealing high-permeability or fractured zones. However, current PPGs encounter limitations in high-temperature reservoirs, including salt sensitivity and potential hazards. To address these issues, we propose eco-friendly PPGs utilizing agar polysaccharides. Agar backbones grafted with acrylamide (AM) and AM/N,N′-methylenebis(AM) (MBA) via microwave-assisted techniques resulted in polyacrylamide grafted agar (Ag/PAM) and cross-linked polyacrylamide grafted agar (Ag/ PAMBA). Various sizes (75 μm to 1.18 mm) were prepared to accommodate diverse reservoir porosities and ensure effective plugging of fractures. Characterization techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscope, swelling measurement, particle size analysis, and rheology were employed. Results demonstrate that Ag/PAM-based PPGs exhibited high absorbency in high saline water (TDS = 67.3 g/L), with swelling ratios ranging from 8.4 to 19.2 g/g. Salt sensitivity factors (f) confirm that salinity increases the swelling ratio for all of the prepared PPGs. Swollen particle sizes were well-controlled within the ranges of 136 μm and 2.9 mm. Factors affecting absorbency and strength, including pH, temperature, and aging were investigated and discussed by considering the structures of both materials. Ag/PAMBA displayed excellent resistance to temperatures up to 130 °C, with a storage modulus between 10 and 32 kPa, surpassing commercial PPGs. Core flooding experiments revealed the good plugging efficiency of open fractures in sandstone cores using an agar-based material. Core flooding results showed that Agar-based-PPG has good plugging efficiency in the open fracture model with a water breakthrough pressure of approximately 108.9 kPa (778 kPa/m). The outstanding performance of the prepared PPGs positions them as promising options for both low-and high-temperature reservoirs in oil recovery applications.

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“…The performance of the gel for microfracture plugging is tested in microfluidic porous media. There are several reports in the literature on the preparation of polyacrylamide-based hydrogels using chitosan as a cross-linker. , Recently, Elaf et al a chitosan-grafted PAM gel cross-linked with different proportions of N, N -methylene bis(acrylamide) (MBA). Increasing the MBA concentration improves the elastic modulus at the expense of the SR of the PPGs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Swelling Behavior of Carboxymethylchitosan-Based Nanocomposite Hydrogels in Response to Different Stimuli (Salinity, pH, and Temperature) and the Gels’ Microfluidic Capability for Water Shut-Off Applications

Hassani,

Hosseinpour,

Bidgoli

2024

Energy Fuels

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Controlling excessive water production in oil and gas wells is still a challenge needing to be addressed, especially via advanced polymer gel technologies. In this work, a biocompatible and naturally available polymer was employed to prepare nanocomposite hydrogels for water shut-off applications. A chitosan biopolymer was functionalized at first, and then, hydrogels were prepared by the addition of an organic cross-linker and nanoadditives of graphene-oxide (GO) and functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Grinding and mechanical sieving were then employed to prepare preformed particle gels (PPGs). The thermal stability and mechanical strength of the PPGs were assessed. The volumetric swelling ratio (SR) of the PPGs as a function of pH, salinity, and temperature was mapped using the full factorial design of experiments. Finally, a microfracture connected to a uniform matrix structure was laser-etched on glass to investigate the plugging performance and water shut-off capability of the PPGs. Results indicate that the thermal stability and mechanical strength of the PPGs are improved significantly by the addition of the nanostructures. The SR of the PPGs is found to be a function of salinity and pH, and no significant impact of the temperature is detected. The SR increases by 95% when the salinity and pH are altered from 20 000 ppm and 5.5 to 200 000 ppm and 7.5, respectively. This means that, despite a 10-fold growth in salinity, the PPGs swell up with the pH increase. The residual resistance factor, representing the plugging efficiency, increases from 956 to 1134 and 1173 by the addition of CNT and GO into the gel structure, respectively. The nanostructure surface sites bond to the polymer functional groups, leading to the construction of the gel structures resistant to salinity, temperature, and load pressure. As a conclusion, the biocompatible nanocomposite PPGs are found to be capable candidates for water shut-off applications.

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Chitosan/Polyacrylamide Green Gels for Water Control in High-Temperature Reservoirs

Cited by 17 publications

References 37 publications

Biodegradable Preformed Particle Gel (PPG) Made of Natural Chitosan Material for Water Shut-Off Application

Biodegradable Preformed Particle Gel (PPG) Made of Natural Chitosan Material for Water Shut-Off Application

Development of Agar-Based Preformed Particle Gel for Water Control in High-Salinity Reservoirs

Swelling Behavior of Carboxymethylchitosan-Based Nanocomposite Hydrogels in Response to Different Stimuli (Salinity, pH, and Temperature) and the Gels’ Microfluidic Capability for Water Shut-Off Applications

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