PROFILE MODIFICATION DUE TO POLYMER ADSORPTION IN RESERVOIR ROCKS
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Flow behavior of a newly developed starch-based biopolymer is studied in the laboratory to gain insight into its ability and effectiveness to recover additional oil. This study analyzes permeability modification due to polymer adsorption in the porous media. Experiments are performed to determine the permeability reduction and the effects of polymer adsorption on capillary pressure curves. A model is developed to estimate the amount of polymer adsorbed in the porous media. The difference in pore size distribution before and after polymer flow indicates the effectiveness of polymer to modify the permeability profile. The difference in capillary pressure curves before and after polymer flow indicates the extent of polymer adsorption in the porous media. It is observed in this study that permeability reduction is a function of both initial permeability and polymer concentration. This study shows that starch-based biopolymers are not only cost effective and environmentally safe but also are very effective for profile modification. Therefore, these polymers can be used to recover additional oil where channeling and bypassing of oil by water are the main problems. 1994, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.
