Water Control with Gels Based on Synthetic Polymers under Extreme Conditions in Oil Wells

Abstract

A bibliographic review of research works dealing with gels based on synthetic polymers and their application in water control under harsh conditions was compiled. The extreme conditions were defined to be above 100 °C with 100 000 ppm of total dissolved solids, including divalent ions. Works describing laboratory experiments and oilfield implementations were also considered. According to current literature, some gels based on synthetic polymers have displayed desirable properties for water control, but in many cases, research is still at laboratory level. Therefore, further studies are required to understand the mode of action and stability of gels and polymers submitted to hard conditions in order to produce high‐performance prototypes.