Use of polymers in waterflooding. Part 1

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1966 · Prod. Mon.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6584916

Stahl, C D

Waterflood performance in a reservoir, i.e., horizontal and vertical sweep and displacement efficiency for any given well pattern, depends greatly upon the effective permeability and the viscosity of the fluids. The mobility of a fluid is defined as its effective permeability divided by the fluid viscosity, and mobility ratio is the ratio of the mobility of the displacing fluid to that of the displaced fluid. If the mobility of the displacing phase is high, much bypassing, fingering and, possibly, overriding occurs, so that displacement efficiency is poor. A high viscosity of the displacing phase with its attendant favorable mobility ratio is desirable in order to increase the displacement and sweep efficiency of a recovery process. Acrylamide polymers are usually capable of causing a marked increase in water viscosity when present only in small amounts. Only partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides appear to be satisfactory. Other water-soluble polymers are not suitable because they completely plug the sand face and the rock pores, thus preventing the flow of water and oil.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ
• OSTI ID: 6584916
• Journal Information: Prod. Mon.; (United States), Journal Name: Prod. Mon.; (United States) Vol. 30:2; ISSN PROMA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
EFFICIENCY
ENGINEERING
FLUID FLOW
FLUID INJECTION
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PERMEABILITY
POLYAMIDES
POLYMERS
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
VISCOSITY
WATERFLOODING
WELLS