Study of the Applicability of Hybrid Nanogels in EOR Processes

High water cut becomes a major problem late in field production often due to heterogeneities or high permeable reservoir zones when the field is produced by water flooding. The need for improved flooding efficiency by cost-effective and green enhanced oil recovery (EOR) chemicals introduced a new type of gel systems for EOR water flood. Nanotechnology is applied to prepare hybrid nanogels that will act as blocking agents, blocking the flow channels of water and efficiently diverting the water into poorly swept reservoir areas with a potential of significantly reducing the water production. By hindering the motion of water, the remaining oil can be transported. The innovative hybrid (polymer + nanosized particles) materials keep the advantages of polymer materials (flexibility, processability and low cost) and make an improvement in EOR by integrating hybrid nanosized particles in the polymer. 

The objective of this research is to widen the application of nanogels to EOR by investigating the governing mechanisms that control fluid flow and transport in porous media. To show the improvements, results of the nanogel injection will be compared with variations of waterflood and polymer injection. A reservoir scale numerical model is also prepared to realistically asses the injection process and effects of different parameters. Sensitivity analysis is done on several parameters affecting the process to be able to find the optimum condition for application.

Publications:

Investigation of Water Diversion by a Novel Polymer Gel System for Enhancing Oil Recovery, A. Jahanbani Ghahfarokhi, J. Kleppe & O. Torsaeter

Simulation Study of Application of a Water Diverting Gel in Enhanced Oil Recovery, A. Jahanbani Ghahfarokhi, J. Kleppe, O. Torsaeter, paper SPE-180190 to be presented at the SPE Europec featured at 78th EAGE Conference and Exhibition in Vienna, Austria, 30 May–2 June 2016.