TY - JOUR
T1 - In-situ rheology and mechanical degradation of EOR polyacrylamide solutions under moderate shear rates
AU - Mansour, Ahmed M.
AU - Al-Maamari, Rashid S.
AU - Al-Hashmi, Abdulaziz S.
AU - Zaitoun, Alan
AU - Al-Sharji, Hamed
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) for providing the financial support to conduct this joint work between Sultan Qaboos University and Poweltec.
PY - 2014/3
Y1 - 2014/3
N2 - A study of rheological behavior and mechanical degradation of hydrolyzed polyacrylamides (anionic) used in EOR/IOR applications under low-to-medium shear rates (γ<500s-1) has been carried out. Aqueous polymer solutions have been injected into a core sample. Polymer degradation rate was evaluated from the flow induced viscosity loss of the polymer solution. Polymer degradation and mobility reduction were evaluated at different shear rates, salinities and concentrations. The effects of polymer viscosity, brine salinity and re-circulation of polymer effluent on degradation were investigated. The experiments revealed that polymer degradation in cores is low (<20%) and no further degradation was observed above a critical shear rate. Degradation due to re-injection of polymer effluents into the core was found to be very small (3-5%). Degradation increases with salinity and viscosity. An apparent shear thinning behavior is observed at low shear rates until a critical shear rate above which shear thickening behavior takes place.
AB - A study of rheological behavior and mechanical degradation of hydrolyzed polyacrylamides (anionic) used in EOR/IOR applications under low-to-medium shear rates (γ<500s-1) has been carried out. Aqueous polymer solutions have been injected into a core sample. Polymer degradation rate was evaluated from the flow induced viscosity loss of the polymer solution. Polymer degradation and mobility reduction were evaluated at different shear rates, salinities and concentrations. The effects of polymer viscosity, brine salinity and re-circulation of polymer effluent on degradation were investigated. The experiments revealed that polymer degradation in cores is low (<20%) and no further degradation was observed above a critical shear rate. Degradation due to re-injection of polymer effluents into the core was found to be very small (3-5%). Degradation increases with salinity and viscosity. An apparent shear thinning behavior is observed at low shear rates until a critical shear rate above which shear thickening behavior takes place.
KW - Adsorption
KW - HPAM
KW - Mechanical degradation
KW - Mobility reduction
KW - Permeability reduction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84897467648&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84897467648&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.petrol.2014.02.009
DO - 10.1016/j.petrol.2014.02.009
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84897467648
SN - 0920-4105
VL - 115
SP - 57
EP - 65
JO - Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering
JF - Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering
ER -