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Core preparation:
Samples were cleaned from any hydrocarbon or salts. Then diameters and lengths, basic parameters (porosity and
permeability) were measured. After that, samples were saturated with brine (3 wt.% NaCl).Then samples were
drained with mineral oil (21c.p) until reaching irreducible water saturation (Swi).
Experimental procedures:
Water flooding was performed then normal polymer flooding (the concentration of polymer 2000 ppm) then
polymer-Nano flooding (the concentration of the polymer was 1000 PPM -saving a half amount of it- and
concentration of alumina NPs was 0.02 wt.%). After that polymer-Nano flooding was performed above polymer
flooding to show the effect of Polymer-Nano flooding on R.F even after polymer flooding.
Results and Discussion:
Recovery factor
70
69.3
68
67.16
R.F, (% of OOIP)
66
66.29
64
62
60
60.65
58
56
Water flooding
Polymer-Nano flooding
Water flooding
: Polymer flooding
: Polymer-Nano flooding
As we see in Figure (2), after water flooding the R.F was 60.65 % and after polymer flooding the R.F was 67.16 %.
When Polymer-Nano flooding was performed directly above polymer flooding, the R.F increased by 2.14 % to be
69.3 %. When made Polymer-Nano flooding instead of polymer flooding, the value of R.F became very near the value
of polymer flooding R.F (the difference is less than 0.9 %). So, how was the R.F value of Polymer-Nano flooding very
near the R.F value of polymer flooding, although we used only half the amount of polymer with the mobility ratio
becoming less? The answer is clear from the relative permeability curves through the intersection point's value as we
see in figure (3); the intersection point value after polymer-Nano flooding is higher than the intersection point value
after polymer flooding. This means that the rock was more water wet after Polymer-Nano flooding rather than
polymer flooding. And as we see in figure (4), the permeability of water at residual oil saturation after Polymer-Nano
flooding is lower than the permeability of water at residual oil saturation after polymer flooding by approximately 20
md.
Polymer flooding
polymer-Nano flooding
80
70
68.8
70
Polymer flooding
polymer-Nano flooding
60
56.5
50
40
30
20
10
0
Water flooding
Figure (3): values of Kro & Krw intersection after various flooding
Kw @ Sor (md)
195
190
Krw @ Sor
185
Polymer flooding
polymer-Nano flooding
189.03
180
175
170
170.3
165
160
Polymer flooding
polymer-Nano flooding
So we can say that, at polymer flooding the main mechanism was mobility control, due to the presence of
polyacrylamide which improved the mobility ratio through increasing the injection fluid viscosity. But When
Polymer-Nano flooding was performed it was found that there was more than one mechanism affecting the R.F as
wettability alteration due to the presence of Al2O3 NPs and mobility control due to the presence of polyacrylamide.
What about the cost?
The average price of polyacrylamide was 34.4 $/1kg, and the average price of alumina NPs was 30 $/1kg (If we
buy large amounts of them). And here is a comparison of the materials used in polymer and Polymer-Nano
techniques at 1 litter.
Normal polymer flooding
Polymer-Nano flooding
2gm polymer
0.0688
0.0404
0.06880.0404
0.0688
Finally, an effective reduction of cost was found - more than 41 % cost reductions. This large cost reduction is
due to saving a very large amount of polymer by adding a very small amount of NPs due to its low concentration.
Summary:
Using Polymer-Nano flooding after polymer flooding can increase the R.F more than 2 % of OOIP.
Using Polymer-Nano flooding instead of polymer flooding almost gives the same R.F as polymer flooding.
Polymer-Nano flooding has proved its effect to overcome the financial obstacles of traditional polymer flooding.
Finally, Polymer-Nano flooding is a new technique in chemical EOR methods which has many advantages like
polymer flooding technique and additional advantages due to presence of Alumina NPs as follows: higher R.F (having
two main mechanisms: mobility control & wettability alteration), cheaper than polymer flooding method and other
expensive EOR methods, not complex (easy to be applied in oil fields), environmental and no fire hazards. Currently
more experimental work is conducted to understand the different factors affecting the new technique and to
optimize all the parameter to show the highest R.F this technique can reach with large cost reduction.
Conclusions
Nanotechnology can be used as one alternative method to unlock the remaining oil resources.
Polymer-Nano flooding can be used at the near future as an enhancement for chemical EOR methods.
Written by/ Mohammed Elkady
mohammed.elkady233@gmail.com