Investigating the Performance of Carboxymethyl Cellulose-based Hydrogel in Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Petroleum Engineering, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Research Center of Iran (CCERCI), Tehran, Iran

3 Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran\Department of Physics and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, University of St. Thomas, Houston, TX, USA

Abstract







The petroleum industry has been focusing on optimizing enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques in recent years. Hydrogels have the potential to be used in various sectors of the oil industry due to their unique three-dimensional network structure and environmentally friendly characteristics. However, the application of hydrogels in EOR processes is still limited. This paper introduces a new method of utilizing stable and cost-effective preformed particle hydrogels (PPGs) based on carboxymethyl cellulose for enhanced oil recovery while keeping environmental considerations in mind. The research team conducted various tests such as FTIR analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), swelling tests, rheological analysis, contact angle measurement, and micromodel flooding experiments to identify the structural characteristics and performance evaluation of carboxymethyl cellulose-based PPGs. The results of the FTIR analysis confirmed that the chemical structure and polymerization of PPGs were successful. Furthermore, the synthesized samples showed acceptable thermal stability up to 120°C, as indicated by the TGA analysis. The hydrogels demonstrated remarkable swelling and water absorption capacity while retaining their structural integrity. They significantly reduced the mobility ratio, increasing in weight by over 15 times in brine environments at 90°C. The carboxymethyl cellulose-based PPGs also changed the wettability of reservoir rocks from oil-wet to water-wet by reducing the contact angle by 47.88 degrees. Micromodel flooding experiments showed that these hydrogels resulted in a 24% increase in oil production compared to secondary injection, attributed to improved displacement efficiency, reduced mobility ratio, and enhanced surface wettability. On the other hand, polymer injection only resulted in a 15% increase in oil production under similar conditions. The research indicates that these materials have significant potential for enhancing oil recovery under challenging reservoir conditions with high temperature and salinity. Further extensive research on sustainable hydrogels and optimization of their compositions is necessary.



Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Petroleum Research
Volume 34, 1403-2 - Serial Number 135
Special Issues on Water-based EOR
July and August 2024
Pages 129-142

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