Reservoir Simulation of Polymer Flooding: Challenges and Current Results (Russian)

Sabirov, Denis Galievich; Demenev, Roman Aleksandrovich; Isakov, Kirill Dmitrievich; Ilyasov, Ilnur; Orlov, Alexander; Glushchenko, Nikolay Aleksandrovich

doi:10.2118/201948-ru

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Finally, molecular simulation studies done to date for EOR polymers are limited. , The nature and concentration of nanoparticles and dynamic tests were not considered in this study . Given the backgrounds, this research aimed to evaluate nanoparticles of different chemical natures at low concentrations (<100 mg L –1 ) on thermochemical and mechanical protection of the HPAM polymer at reservoir conditions verifying the results at a static, dynamic, and molecular level to offer effective proposals in relation to nanotechnology applied to EOR processes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of the Support’s Chemical Nature of Amine-Functionalized Nanoparticles on the Protection of Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide for Enhanced Oil Recovery: Static Experiments, Displacement Tests, and Molecular Dynamics Evaluation

Zapata,

Moncayo-Riascos,

Corredor

et al. 2024

Energy Fuels

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This study aimed to develop amine-functionalized nanoparticles using supports of different chemical natures to protect hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) polymers from thermochemical and mechanical degradation using static, dynamic, and molecular approaches. MgO (basic), Al 2 O 3 (neutral), and SiO 2 (acid) nanoparticles were functionalized with amine and characterized. To evaluate the performance of nanofluids based on HPAM, viscosity, mechanical assays, capillary numbers, oil recovery curves, and injectivity tests were made. To obtain insights into the interactions between HPAM and the nanoparticles, molecular dynamics (MD) was completed. The results demonstrated a relationship between the HPAM protection, the chemical nature, and the concentration of the nanoparticles used, showing a preference for neutral nanostructures such as Al 2 O 3 /amine at 10 mg L −1 , which improved up to 77, 920, 34, and 15.5% the viscosity, capillary number, mechanical stability, and oil recovery of HPAM, respectively. HPAM viscosity was 3 times higher and up to 41 times higher using nanoparticles of Al 2 O 3 /amine. MD allowed us to understand the ability of Al 2 O 3 /amine to extend the HPAM chains and improve the radius of gyration, up to 26%, through the interaction by hydrogen bonds and their ability to trap cations (up to 33%), preventing them from interacting with the acrylic groups of the HPAM molecules and the folding of the polymer. This proposal is based on multidisciplinary studies to understand nanotechnology applied to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of the Support’s Chemical Nature of Amine-Functionalized Nanoparticles on the Protection of Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide for Enhanced Oil Recovery: Static Experiments, Displacement Tests, and Molecular Dynamics Evaluation

Zapata,

Moncayo-Riascos,

Corredor

et al. 2024

Energy Fuels

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Mechanisms on the Injection Conformance Reversion during Polymer Flooding of Offshore Heterogeneous Heavy-Oil Reservoirs

et al. 2021

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Injection conformance reversion commonly observed during polymer flooding in offshore heterogeneous heavy-oil reservoirs weakens the volumetric sweep of polymer solution and compromises its EOR results. To investigate its mechanisms and impact factors, one mathematical model to predicate injection conformance behavior is constructed for heterogeneous reservoirs based on the Buckley-Leverett function. The different suction capability of each layer to polymer solution results in distinct change law of the flow resistance force, which in turn reacts upon the suction capability and creates dynamic redistribution of injection between layers. Conformance reversion takes place when the variation ratio of flow resistance force of different layers tends to be the same. The peak value and scope of conformance reversion decrease and reversion timing is advanced as oil viscosity or permeability contrast increases, or polymer concentration or relative thickness of low permeable layer decreases, which compromises the ability of polymer flooding to improve the volumetric sweep and lower suction of the low permeable layer. The features of offshore polymer flooding tend to make the injection conformance V-type and create low-efficiency circulation of polymer in a high permeable layer more easily. These results can provide guidance to improve the production performance of polymer flooding in offshore heterogeneous heavy-oil reservoirs.

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History Matching and Performance Prediction of a Polymer Flood Pilot in Heavy Oil Reservoir on Alaska North Slope

Wang

Keith

Zhang

et al. 2021

SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition

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The first-ever polymer flood pilot to enhance heavy oil recovery on Alaska North Slope (ANS) is ongoing. After more than 2.5 years of polymer injection, significant benefit has been observed from the decrease in water cut from 65% to less than 15% in the project producers. The primary objective of this study is to develop a robust history-matched reservoir simulation model capable of predicting future polymer flood performance. In this work, the reservoir simulation model has been developed based on the geological model and available reservoir and fluid data. In particular, four high transmissibility strips were introduced to connect the injector-producer well pairs, simulating short-circuiting flow behavior that can be explained by viscous fingering and reproducing the water cut history. The strip transmissibilities were manually tuned to improve the history matching results during the waterflooding and polymer flooding periods, respectively. It has been found that higher strip transmissibilities match the sharp water cut increase very well in the waterflooding period. Then the strip transmissibilities need to be reduced with time to match the significant water cut reduction. The viscous fingering effect in the reservoir during waterflooding and the restoration of injection conformance during polymer flooding have been effectively represented. Based on the validated simulation model, numerical simulation tests have been conducted to investigate the oil recovery performance under different development strategies, with consideration for sensitivity to polymer parameter uncertainties. The oil recovery factor with polymer flooding can reach about 39% in 30 years, twice as much as forecasted with continued waterflooding. Besides, the updated reservoir model has been successfully employed to forecast polymer utilization, a valuable parameter to evaluate the pilot test’s economic efficiency. All the investigated development strategies indicate polymer utilization lower than 3.5 lbs/bbl in 30 years, which is economically attractive.

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Reservoir Simulation of Polymer Flooding: Challenges and Current Results (Russian)

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Effect of the Support’s Chemical Nature of Amine-Functionalized Nanoparticles on the Protection of Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide for Enhanced Oil Recovery: Static Experiments, Displacement Tests, and Molecular Dynamics Evaluation

Effect of the Support’s Chemical Nature of Amine-Functionalized Nanoparticles on the Protection of Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide for Enhanced Oil Recovery: Static Experiments, Displacement Tests, and Molecular Dynamics Evaluation

Mechanisms on the Injection Conformance Reversion during Polymer Flooding of Offshore Heterogeneous Heavy-Oil Reservoirs

History Matching and Performance Prediction of a Polymer Flood Pilot in Heavy Oil Reservoir on Alaska North Slope

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