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U.S. Department of Energy
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Mobility control with polymer solutions

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6383679

With the use of polymer solutions in secondary recovery operations, the need has developed to understand the mobility control mechanism. This study investigated mobility control by considering both permeability and rheological effects. Experiments used a high molecular weight polyacrylamide as the polymer. Experiments used concentration solution of this polymer were used in various experiments. These solutions contained different dissolved ions with varying concentrations. Rheological measurements were made using capillary and Brookfield viscometers. Clay studies gave an indication of the pore size openings in the porous media. Flushed permeabilities measured the approximate core permeabilities with flowing polymer solutions. These permeabilities were considerably lower than original values. With mobility data and the flushed permeability, maximum effective viscosities were determined for polymer solution flow in a core. Effective viscosities showed that rheological properties play an important part in mobility control with polymer solutions. The overall study also indicated that permeabilities decrease and stabilize with polymer flow. (12 refs.)

OSTI ID:
6383679
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English