Delayed polyacrylamide gelation process for oil recovery applications

Patent · Tue May 17 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:7053256

Sydansk, R D

A process for delaying the gelation rate of a gelation solution to form a continuous crosslinked polymer gel utilized for a hydrocarbon recovery application in a treatment region of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation below an earthen surface penetrated by a wellbore in communication with the region is described, comprising the steps of: (a) predetermining a delayed gelation rate required of the continuous crosslinked polymer gel to perform the hydrocarbon recovery application; (b) preparing a chromic carboxylate complex in a solution consisting essentially of a solvent, at least one chromic species, and at least one acetate species; (c) preselecting the polyacrylamide wherein the degree of hydrolysis of amide groups to carboxylate groups in the polyacrylamide is less than about 5.0% such that the preselected polyacrylamide gels at the predetermined delayed gelation rate when admixed with the complex in solution; (d) preparing the gelation solution at the earthen surface by admixing the preselected polyacrylamide and the complex in solution; (e) injecting the gelation solution into the treatment region via the wellbore; and (f) forming the continuous crosslinked polymer gel in situ from the gelation solution at the predetermined delayed gelation rate required to perform the hydrocarbon recovery application.

• Assignee: Marathon Oil Co., Findlay, OH
• Patent Number(s): US 4744418
• OSTI ID: 7053256
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMIUM COMPLEXES
COMPLEXES
CROSS-LINKING
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GELATION
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROLEUM
POLYAMIDES
POLYMERIZATION
POLYMERS
RECOVERY
STIMULATION
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS