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Rheological behavior of Pusher 500 under a variety of chemical and thermal conditions: Topical report. [Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide]

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7187419

This project is designed to provide information to understand and model the rheological behavior of polymers under a variety of simulated reservoir conditions and to gain the knowledge of the fidelity with which external measurements characterize mobility behavior under changing conditions. The understanding and modeling of the rheological behavior will lead to more effective use of polymers as mobility control agents in enhanced oil recovery processes. This report describes the progress made on the study of the rheological behavior of a partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, Dow Pusher 500, under a variety of thermal and chemical conditions. The rheological properties being considered include shear viscosity, screen factor, and flow resistance in cores. To account for the rate effect, screen factors (constant head) were measured with a modified screen factor viscometer. Viscosity and screen factor data were correlated with flow rate, polymer concentration, and salt concentration. The empirical correlations developed were then used to study the effects of alkali and temperature on these parameters. Flow resistance studies in a Berea core show that apparent viscosities in the low flow rate regime are lower than bulk solution viscosities and that viscoelasticity effects occur at a friction factor-Reynolds number product less than 1. Comparison of the rheological behavior in the Berea sandstone core with that measured outside the core shows that the effects of polymer and salt concentrations on the reduced apparent viscosity measured inside the core are similar to those on the reduced viscosity measured with a shear viscometer at low flow rates. The effects of these variables on the viscoelastic increment to the apparent viscosity are similar to that on the screen factor at high flow rates. These correlations can be used to predict the flow resistance of hydrolyzed polyacrylamides in Berea sandstone cores. 38 refs., 19 figs., 6 tabs.

Research Organization:
National Inst. for Petroleum and Energy Research, Bartlesville, OK (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
FC22-83FE60149
OSTI ID:
7187419
Report Number(s):
NIPER-225; ON: DE87001224
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English