Polymer flooding field applications

There are a number of ongoing large-scale polymer flood field applications several of them are described in the next subsections. 

Bei-l-Qu-Duan-Xi was the first large-scale polymer flooding field application in the northern Saertu field, Daqing. There were 25 injectors and 37 producers in the test area in five-spot patterns. The target layers were PI1.4. The well spacing from injector to producer was 250 to 300 m. Some of the reservoir and flnid data are shown in Table 5.22 (Chang et al., 2006 Yan et al., 2006). 

Recent research and field tests have focused on the use of relatively low concentrations or volumes of chemicals as additives to other oil recovery processes. Of particular interest is the use of surfactants as CO (184) and steam mobility control agents (foam). Also combinations of older EOR processes such as surfactant enhanced alkaline flooding and alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding have been the subjects of recent interest. Older technologies polymer flooding (185,186) and micellar flooding (187-189) have been the subject of recent reviews. In 1988 84 commercial products polymers, surfactants, and other additives, were listed as being marketed by 19 companies for various enhanced oil recovery applications (190). 

A second field evaluation of the ASP process has been initiated in Wyoming. Additionally, an ASP field project has been designed for the Peoples Republic of China. The applicability of the ASP process to a variety of reservoirs has yet to be fully determined. Application of alkali and alkali polymer flooding has been limited to cmde oils having discernible acid numbers, wherein the alkali produced cmde oil soaps which in combination with alkali resulted in providing low interfacial tensions. The ASP process appears to be suitable for cmde oils with nil acid numbers (177), and hence should have broad applicability. 

A number of laboratory studies of the application of the alkali-surfactant-polymer flooding to various reservoir systems have been reported (63-67), but field application of this technology has been limited. Several field pilots are in progress or have been completed, but only one has been evaluated to date in the technical literature (68). This project is in the West Kiehl field in Wyoming operated by Terra Resources Inc. 

This chapter first introduces different types of polymers and polymer-related profile confrol systems used in enhanced oil recovery (EOR), although the list is in no way comprehensive. Then the chapter discusses several polymers developed in China, especially those used in field tests. Then it focuses on the polymer solution properties and polymer flow behavior in porous media. Numerous special subjects regarding polymer flooding (PF) are discussed, and field pilot tests and application cases are presented. Finally, the chapter summarizes the field experience and learning of polymer flooding. 

Special Cases, Pilot Tests, and Field Applications of Polymer Flooding... 

The theories of alkaline flooding and polymer flooding alone are discussed in their respective chapters. This chapter focuses on the interaction and synergy between alkali and polymer. It also presents a field application. 

Wang, B.-Y., Zhang, J., Jia, Z.-S., 1997a. Study of commercial scale application of polymer flooding in Daqing Oil Field. Petroleum Exploration and Development 24 (6), 51-55. 

Zhou, S.W., Han, M., Xiang, W.T., Zhang, J., Zhou, W., Jiang, W, 2006. Application of polymer flooding technology in a Bohai Offshore Field. China Offshore Oil and Gas 18... 

This chapter will break slightly with the tradition of other reviews of improved oil recovery methods in that a selection of field applications will not be explicitly discussed. Such applications have already been reviewed by a number of workers (Jewett and Schurz, 1970 Sloat, 1971, 1972 Agnew, 1972 Chang, 1978) whilst ongoing field reports have also been described (EOR Field Reports, SPE). In addition, there are about 100 papers and reports describing particular field polymer flood applications in the USA (e.g. Jones, 1966 Rowalt, 1973 Clampitt and Reid, 1975) and, more recently, in Europe (e.g. LaBastie and Vio, 1981 Maitin and Volz, 1981) and the Middle East (e.g. Koning and Mentzer, 1988). It is felt, therefore, that the inclusion of specific field cases in this chapter would serve only to date the... 

There is probably sufficient data on field polymer flooding to set up a statistical database of the various reservoir parameters which best correlate with the efficiency of the process. However, to the author s knowledge, no such compilation has been published although the same general field experience has been broadly incorporated into the reservoir screening rules for polymer flood application discussed previously. The simple analytical methods that... 

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