A review and statistical analysis of micellar-polymer field test data: Topical report
A statistical analysis study has been made of 21 micellar-polymer field test projects to evaluate the significance of key parameters upon performance. In this study, the term micellar-polymer is used to describe surfactant recovery processes of which the most common are the water phase low tension and the soluble oil.The micellar slug is usually followed by a drive slug containing a polymer for mobility control. The data include 10 projects that were used in a previous study and 11 other documented projects which have been completed recently. The study indicates three significant correlations. The most important of these is the correlation showing that oil recovery is inversely related to the log of the reservoir connate water salinity. This suggests that prior flooding with a water near the design salinity or use of preflushes to adjust salinity and remove hardness have, at best, been only partially effective. Exxon was successful in their second Loudon pilot when using a specifically designed salt tolerant surfactant, with no preflush. The results of this study, coupled with the results of the Exxon second Loudon pilot, suggest that future research in micellar-polymer flooding should focus on the development of surfactants which can tolerate the connate water salinity and hardness in the reservoir. A second correlation showed that oil recovery increased as the pattern size was decreased. This is attributed to the higher frontal velocities and to the reduced tendency of slug breakdown in smaller patterns. Low oil cuts at the beginning of the micellar-polymer floods indicated that higher recovery efficiency could not be attributed to infill drilling. The third correlation showed the expected results that oil recovery is related to the quantity of surfactant used. This quantity is the product of the surfactant slug volume and the concentration of surfactant. 71 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Keplinger Technology Consultants, Inc., Tulsa, OK (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC19-85BC10830
- OSTI ID:
- 6913405
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/BC/10830-4; ON: DE87001202
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
DATA ANALYSIS
FIELD TESTS
OIL WELLS
CONNATE WATER
CORRELATIONS
EFFICIENCY
ENHANCED RECOVERY
MICELLAR SYSTEMS
PETROLEUM
POLYMERS
REVIEWS
SALINITY
STATISTICS
SURFACTANTS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INTERSTITIAL WATER
MATHEMATICS
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RECOVERY
TESTING
WATER
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production