Patent ID: 7281579

Claim:
A method for placing an aqueous polymer in the water conduits of the production zone of a gas or oil reservoir to form a barrier to shut off or reduce unwanted production of water, through a well-bore tubing in communication with the production zone of the gas or oil reservoir, comprising: injecting water into the production zone to establish an injection rate into the production zone, injecting N 2 or CO 2 gas into the formation in a first gas injection in an amount sufficient to displace the water or flushing the water to surface with N 2 or CO 2 in an amount sufficient to displace the water, injecting the aqueous polymer into the production zone at said injection rate, injecting a solvent selected from methanol, water or methanol and water, for reducing interfacial tension, and flushing the solvent from the well-bore tubing and communicating the well-bore with the production zone with N 2 or CO 2 gas in a second gas injection to optimize gas permeability in the production zone.