Optimizing Oil Recovery with Alkali-Polymer Flooding
Author Information
Author(s): Tahir Muhammad, Hincapie Rafael, Clemens Torsten, Steineder Dominik, Farzaneh Amir, Mikulic Silvan
Primary Institution: OMV Exploration & Production GmbH, 1020 Vienna, Austria
Hypothesis
Can alkali-polymer flooding improve oil recovery in brownfields?
Conclusion
The study found that alkali-polymer flooding can enhance oil recovery by optimizing chemical interactions and reducing costs.
Supporting Evidence
- Alkali concentration of 7500 ppm was found optimal for the AP slug.
- Single-phase core flooding showed that the AP slug from Vendor B outperformed that from Vendor A.
- In situ aging of the AP slug could reduce costs and enhance injection performance.
- Phase behavior tests indicated that produced emulsions were slightly unstable.
- Polymer B-based AP slugs exhibited better injectivity in both high- and low-permeability core plugs.
Takeaway
This study shows that using special chemicals can help get more oil out of the ground, making it easier and cheaper to recover oil.
Methodology
The study involved laboratory experiments and field tests to evaluate the effectiveness of alkali-polymer flooding in oil recovery.
Limitations
The study's findings may not fully apply to all field conditions due to variations in rock and fluid properties.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website