Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Preformed Particle Gel Size and Concentration and Permeability of Porous Medium on Residual Factor and Residual Resistance Factor

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

EOR Research Division, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), Tehran, Iran

10.22078/pr.2024.5112.3267

Abstract

Unwanted water production in oil and gas reservoirs leads to significant operational challenges, including facility corrosion and reduced oil relative permeability. Preformed particle gel (PPG) has emerged as an effective solution for controlling water production and enhancing sweep efficiency since its introduction in 2007. This study investigates the impact of key parameters—gel particle size, concentration, porous medium permeability, and injection flow rate—on the residual factor (RF) and residual resistance factor (RRF) using slim tube tests. The experiments involved synthesizing PPG from monomers such as acrylamide (AM), sodium salt of acrylamide methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPSNa), and normal vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP), with methylene base acrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinking agent. The synthesized gel was injected into slim tubes filled with crushed rock of varying permeabilities. Results demonstrated that larger gel particles exhibited higher retention in the porous medium, leading to increased RRF values. Gel concentration directly influenced the threshold pressure, with higher concentrations resulting in greater RRF due to enhanced gel volume in the pores. Additionally, reduced permeability of the slim tube correlated with higher injection pressures, while increased flow rates elevated pressure drops without significantly affecting gel injectability. The primary mechanism of PPG passage through the porous medium was identified as particle breakage and entrapment, supported by post-injection particle size measurements. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing gel properties and injection parameters to maximize water control efficiency while minimizing formation damage.

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References

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Journal of Petroleum Research
Volume 35, 1404-2 - Serial Number 141
July and August 2025
Pages 61-69

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