Polymer Selection for Sandstone Reservoirs Using Heterogeneous Micromodels, Field Flow Fractionation and Corefloods
Authors: Borovina Ante , Reina Rafael E. Hincapie , Clemens Torsten , Hoffmann Eugen , Wegner Jonas , Steindl Johannes 
Published: April 2022

Incremental oil recovery due to polymer flooding results from acceleration of oil production along flow paths and improving sweep efficiency. To achieve favorable economics, polymers should have a high viscosifying power and low adsorption. However, in addition, incremental oil production from various rock qualities needs to be maximized. We developed a workflow using a layered micromodel, corefloods and Field-Flow Fractionation (FFF) to determine the Molecular Weight Distribution (MWD) for the selection of polymers addressing heterogeneous reservoirs.

We have designed micromodels consisting of two layers with different permeabilities, one four times larger than the other. The micromodel structure is based on the characteristics of a real sandstone core, with the dimensions 6 cm × 2 cm. These micromodels were used as preliminary screening of the polymers incorporating heterogeneity effects. Subsequently, single- and two-phase core experiments were performed to determine injectivity effects and displacement efficiency of the selected polymers. In addition, FFF was used to measure the molecular weight distribution, gyration radii and conformance of the polymers. Based on the workflow a polymer was selected.

All polymers were tested at target viscosity at 7 1/s shear rate. Micromodel experiments showed that tested polymers are leading to improved sweep efficiency of heterogeneous structure. The displacement efficiency within the higher permeable layer was similar for the investigated polymers whereas the oil recovery from the lower permeable layer showed differences. FFF revealed that the MWD's of the tested polymers were different. The MWD of one of the polymers showed a large number of larger molecules compared with the other polymers. This polymer did not lead to the highest oil recovery in the micromodel. Injectivity and propagation of the higher MW polymer in both single- and two-phase core-floods was falling behind the other polymers. Measurements of the MWD of the core effluent showed that for all tested polymers the larger molecules are initially retained more than the smaller molecules. The polymer with the smallest molecules and narrow MWD showed the best propagation characteristics in the core.

Owing to the good performance of this polymer in terms of sweep efficiency improvement, injectivity, and propagation, this polymer was selected for a field application. Therefore, the novelty presented here can be summarised as follow:

Heterogeneous micromodels were used to screen polymers for one-dimensional displacement efficiency and sweep efficiency effects Single- and two-phase core floods in combination with Field-Flow Fractionation revealed the impact of the molecular weight distribution (MWD) on polymer injectivity, propagation and retention Selection of polymers need to include MWD to find the most effective polymer Polymer selection needs to take near-wellbore and reservoir effects (micro- and sweep efficiency in heterogeneous reservoirs) into account