Table of Contents
Nomenclature: ........................................................................................................................... 1
ASSESSMENT OF LOW SALINITY POLYMER SOLUTION IN IMPROVING HEAVY OIL
PRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction: .............................................................................................................................. 3
Background: ........................................................................................................................... 3
Hydrocarbons Recovery Methods: ........................................................................................ 5
Hydrocarbon Reservoirs: ....................................................................................................... 6
Conventional Reservoir: ..................................................................................................... 6
Unconventional oil reservoirs: ........................................................................................... 6
Polymer types: ....................................................................................................................... 6
Potential of LSP solution in improving oil recovery: .............................................................. 7
Challenges to LSPF: ................................................................................................................ 7
Low salinity polymer solution is suitable in recovering heavy oil reservoirs: ....................... 7
Limitations of LSP flooding: ................................................................................................... 8
Simulation software used: ..................................................................................................... 8
Problem statement: ................................................................................................................... 9
Objectives: ................................................................................................................................. 9
Figure 1: Oil recovery mechanism. ........................................................................................... 6
Nomenclature:
LS Low Salinity
LSW Low Salinity Water
LSWF Low Salinity Water Flooding
LSE Low Salinity Effect
PF Polymer Flooding
PS Polymer Solution
LSWI Low Salinity Water Injection
LSPI Low Salinity Polymer Injection
ASSESSMENT OF LOW SALINITY POLYMER SOLUTION IN
IMPROVING HEAVY OIL PRODUCTION
Introduction:
Low salinity polymer flooding has drawn more attention in recent times. for many years,
enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies have used polymers to manage the mobility of
injecting water in a number of oil reservoirs. Water and the oil do not mix well together. So,
no one can drive/push the other out of an oil reservoir completely. On a relative-permeability
curve, this is shown by the irreducible water and residual oil saturations. The oil saturation
will never drop below the residual oil saturation, no matter how much water is circulated
through the formation. A water-soluble polymer is introduced to the flood-water during
polymer-flooding. Which make the water more viscous in result. In the swept zones, there
may be a decrease in the effective permeability to water depending on the type of polymer
used. Rather than lowering the residual oil saturation, polymer-flooding makes it possible to
obtain the residual oil saturation more rapidly or economically.
Since polymers can be applied readily to raise water viscosity, and their application is
promising. The mobility ratio between oil and water is reduced and oil recovery is enhanced
by the higher viscosity of the injected water. In order to help recover heavy and bypassed oil
during production, the polymer flooding procedure contains injecting polymers that are
soluble in water, into oil-bearing reservoirs. synthetic and biopolymers are the two different
types of polymers that are frequently used in the oil recovery process. Because of their
superior rheological qualities and ability to viscosify, synthetic polymers are frequently used
in field applications. They are made of derivatives of polymers based on acrylamide. However,
biopolymers come from naturally occurring plant materials. Gums and derivatives of
polysaccharide chains are between them. When the polymer is injected into the reservoir,
viscous fingering is decreased or entirly eliminated and the injectant's viscosity is thickened.
Polymers reduce permeability disproportionately because of their macromolecular structure,
in addition to their ability to improve the mobility ratio. the swelling occurs in polymers and
decreases permeability to water while having little to no effect on relative permeability to oil.
The viscoelastic characteristics of the polymers, which allow them to form a strong flow
resistance and stabilize the spreading front, are the base for yet another theory regarding the
mechanism behind the polymer flooding process. furthermore, the polymer's elastic qualities
allow it to strip and draw oil from areas that are restricted, which releases trapped residual
oil and moves it in the direction of the oil bank.
Background:
As energy crises deepen and become more frightening, several countries are now paying
more attention to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques. The scarcity of available oil
resources and the challenges associated with discovering new oil fields are among the causes.
Increasing recoverable reserves is necessary to meet the world's oil demand and support
expanding economies. This can be achieved by exploring massive new reservoirs or by
enhancing the recovery factor of those that have already been found. Since petroleum
engineers and geologists are highly cautious about the chance of discovering new, substantial
petroleum reserves, enhancing existing reserves through the use of enhance oil recovery
techniques is likely a means of satisfying demand. Heavy oil reservoirs are becoming more
and more appealing as conventional oils begin to reach their maximum production. The
projected global heavy-oil reserves are over ten trillion barrels, which is nearly three time the
conventional initial oil-in-place reserves. The global biggest petroleum basin is made up of the
enormous heavy oil deposits found in western Canada, especially in Alberta. Some heavy oil
reservoirs are also found in the US, China, and the Middle East. Regretfully, no consensus are
there over what constitutes heavier oil. commonly described as crude oil having a gravity of
less than 20 API and a viscosity of greater than 100 or 1000 cp. oil having a viscosity of more
than 100 cp is defined as heavy oil. Heavy oil is distinguished from extra heavy oil, bitumens,
and oilsand by stating that the earlier has enough ability to move under the reservoir drive
method toward the production well. while the latter is solid to flow naturally (Hadi Saboorian-
Jooybari, 2016).
Using EOR technology increases the potential to extract an additional 5–30% of the oil from
the reservoir. EOR technology is generally urgently required, particularly in light of the
following: an early decrease in oil production; unproductive primary and secondary recovery;
high crude oil prices; growing energy demand; and residual oil after secondary recovery.
When all other primary treatments have been attempted, water flooding is frequently
employed as an efficient secondary recovery technique. Due to bypassed or unswept oil, a
poor sweep efficiency causes limited primary and water flood recovery in many sandstone or
carbonate reservoirs. Generally speaking, water floods still leave 50–70% of the oil in the
formation, and it cannot be extracted any more without the use of gas injection, thermal, or
chemical procedures (A.Z. Abidin, 2012).
In heavy oil reservoirs, incremental recoveries from waterflooding are often much lower than
for normal oils. Given these problems, worries, and difficulties, polymer flooding has emerged
as the most viable EOR method for three possible approaches that might significantly increase
the efficiency of the waterflooding process. The injected water is being diverted from swept
to unswept zones, the water-to-oil mobility ratio is decreasing, and a fractional flow curve is
shifting to the right. Moreover, the use of horizontal wells in heavy oil reservoirs has reduced
worries regarding the low injectivity of big slug viscous polymer solutions and increased both
their technical and financial viability. Water flooding originally employed to maintain pressure
following primary depletion and to shift oil by utilizing viscous forces, flooding has grown to
be the most popular improved oil recovery (IOR) method. The other main operational and
financial advantages of water flooding are its high availability, ease of injection, and reduced
cost and capital investment. The effect of injected water chemistry on oil recovery and
displacement efficiency have received little consideration in the past. But over the last ten
years, a number of studies have demonstrated that injecting brine with a salinity between
1000 and 2000 ppm can positively impact the interactions between crude oil, brine, and rock
(COBR) in order to lower the amount of residual oil saturation (Allan Katende, 2019).
Two Enhance Oil Recovery approaches that can easily be utilized in a variety of fields of oil
are, low-salinity flooding and polymer flooding. The widely used EOR technique known as
polymer flooding that relies on idea that by viscosifying the water, sweep efficiency can be
increased (compared to a traditional water flood). While the application of LSWF is solely
dependent on the ability to produce a low-salinity injection brine, the application envelope
of PF is primarily restricted by temperature of reservoir as well as the hardness of the make-
up brine and salinity because of the chemical degradation of the polymer. The mix of the
reservoir's mineralogy, brine, and crude makeup determines the benefits of low-salinity
flooding (Esther C.M. Vermolen, 2014). The benefits of using both approaches are increased
when a low-salinity polymer solution is injected. First off, adding a low-salinity flood to
polymer increases the effectiveness of the sweep and may be able to release some of the oil
that was separated from the low-salinity brine and would have otherwise been trapped.
Furthermore, by changing the rock surface wettability and releasing more oil, a LS effect can
boost the incremental recovery of oil of the PF when a LS brine is used to create the polymer
solution.
Polymer flooding reduces the mobility ratio, by increasing the injectant's viscosity into the
reservoir and lessens or eliminates the viscous fingering phenomenon. Additionally, the usage
of polymers reduces water permeability disproportionately. As a result, this increases the
efficiency of the sweep and results in incremental oil recovery.
Hydrocarbons Recovery Methods:
The US Department of Energy has conducted studies that show that the primary and
secondary methods of oil extraction, which have been generally accepted, only
produce between 25% and 50% of a well's oil reserves. The development of a tertiary
technique called as enhanced oil recovery (EOR) has addressed. But what precisely are the
three different from one another, and why don't the first two work so well?
• Primary oil recovery is the process of recovering oil with pump jacks and other artificial
lift devices or by the natural ascent of hydrocarbons to the earth's surface. The
extraction potential of this technology is severely limited because it only targets the
oil that is either accessible to the pump jack or prone to its release. In actuality, the
principal approach recovers only 5% to 15% of the well's potential.
• Secondary recovery is To try to force the oil to migrate from its reservoir location and
rise to the surface, this approach includes injecting gas or water. Targeting an extra
30% of the oil's reserves is usually successful, though the exact amount may vary
based on the oil and the surrounding geology (Petrochemical, chemaical & Energy,
2014).
• Enhanced oil recovery aims to change the qualities of the oil to make it more suitable
for extraction, as opposed to just pushing it out of the earth, like the other two
methods did. Tertiary recovery method involve in the injection of specialized fluid or
the applications of thermal energy to further increasing oil recovery. These methods
involves Injection of Chemical: Specialized chemical are being injected in the reservoir
to change fluid properties, decrease interfacial tension (IFT), or improve sweep
efficiency. Miscible Gas Injections: Involves gases injection, like carbon dioxide or
hydrocarbons, into the reservoir to get mix with the remaining oil, reducing viscosity,
and improve displacement efficiency. Thermal Recoveries: Involve in injecting steam
or hot water in the reservoirs to heat the oil, reducing viscosity, and improving fluid
mobility, facilitating the increased oil production. Tertiary recovery methods are
classified by their ability to recovering additional oil that would otherwise remains
unrecovered after primary and secondary production methods.
Figure 1: Oil recovery mechanism.
Hydrocarbon Reservoirs:
A reservoir is the accumulation of oil or gas (hydrocarbons) in the subsurface porous and
permeable formation overlaid by impermeable barrier (cap rock). Broadly, HC reservoirs are
classified in two main categories-conventional & unconventional reservoirs. Conventional
reservoirs is a porous and permeable formation overlaid by a less permeable rock. In
unconventional reservoirs, HCs are contained within the high porosity but low permeability
formation hence there is no need of barrier/cap rock/trap (Schlumberger, 2024).
Conventional Reservoir:
The conventional reservoirs are the primary source of production for gas and oil. They usually
found in rock formations that are sedimentary and have higher porosity and permeability.
These reservoir rocks porosity make it possible for hydrocarbons to efficiently stored and
transmit through them. The well defined structural traps and cap rocks that hinder
hydrocarbons from migrating to surface is characteristics of conventional reservoirs. In
conventional reservoirs, the process of collection of oil and gas start with the burial of organic
elements like plankton and algae, which under extreme pressure and temperature change
into hydrocarbon. The hydrocarbons move through layers of porous rock until they get caught
under impenetrable formations. To produce hydrocarbons from these reservoirs, oil/gas wells
must be drilled into the pockets of trapped gas and oil, which can subsequently flow to surface
because pressure difference (oil and gas hub, 2023).
Unconventional oil reservoirs:
Unconventional oil reservoirs are the reservoirs having lower permeability. Extraction of
unconventional reservoirs are challenging as compared to conventional reservoirs. Since
technological breakthroughs have made it possible to tap unconventional reservoirs, their
importance has grown (oil and gas hub, 2023). Important unconventional reservoir types
include shale reservoirs, Tight reservoirs, and coal bed methane.
Polymer types:
The main classes of synthetic and biopolymers are the polymers that are used in actual
polymer floods (Riley B. Needham, 2021).
Polyacrylamides are normally linked with synthetic polymers class. they are provided by
different manufacturers. a polyacrylamide's performance in flooding scenario are find by its
molecular weight and level of hydrolysis. A part of the acrylamide in a polyacrylamide that is
partially hydrolyzed is converted into acrylic acid. In fresh water, it tends to increase viscosity,
whereas in hard waters, it tends to reduce viscosity. When all else is equal, at a given
concentration, a higher molecular weight polymer will results in a high viscosities and
resistance values than a low molecular-weight polymer.
Biopolymers is the second type of polymer that are produced by fermentation process, rather
than being directly produced from their monomers in a chemical reactor. The bacteria
Xanthomonas campestris produces xanthan gum, the commanly produced biopolymer. The
biopolymer is an outcome of the metabolic processes of the bacteria, which is cultivated in
an appropriate fermentation medium. After isolation from the remaining cell material, the
polymer is marketed for utilization as a concentrated broth that normally contain 3–13%
active polymer.
Potential of LSP solution in improving oil recovery:
The Petroleum industry has long been utilizing the polymer flooding technique to regulate
flood-water mobility and enhances volumetric sweep efficiency. Higher molecular weight
polymers may be utilized to decrease water effective permeability and leaving effective
permeability to oil unchanged. In responce, it reduces the mobility ratio and gives the flood
front a more even spread. When comparing to water flooding alone, the evenly propagated
polymer front may provide a significantly better volumetric sweep efficiency. Perhaps
polymer flooding, which operates entirely on a different principle from low salinity water
flooding, could complement low salinity water flooding more effectively (Gbadamosi, Junin,
Manan, Agi, & Yusuff, 2019). Improved polymer stability is additional advantage of low salinity
polymer interaction in addition to potential improvements in volumetric sweep efficiency by
LSPF.
Challenges to LSPF:
Polymers are typically made by combining polymer with the injection water that is produced
back from the formation for use in oil field processes. The formation water having high salinity
normally breaks down the injected polymers, resulting the polymers to lose their intended
viscosity and flexibility. During polymer flood processes, retention of the polymers is a
significant difficulty along with deterioration. There are three different ways to keep the
polymer in the reservoir. First one is mechanical entrapment, the second is adsorption, and
third one is precipitation. The majority of these methods are dependent on polymer
adsorption. Adsorption of polymers by polymers is an irreversible process that may seriously
harm the formation. The primary mechanism for the polymer adsorptionand or retention in
reservoir rock is physical interaction, like electrostatic attraction between the solid surface
and polymer because of difference in charges (Cheraghian, et al., 2014).
Low salinity polymer solution is suitable in recovering heavy oil reservoirs:
Thermal recovery in heavier oil development decreases the viscosity of the oil phase by
heating, improving the oil phase's flow ability and heavy oil recovery. Heat loss occurs and
limits the development effect in some deeper and thin-layered heavy oil reservoirs.
whereas, this type of issue is doesn’t exists in polymer-flooding. Polymer-flooding can
increase oil recovery by expanding the volume of sweep and lowering the water-oil mobility
ratio by enhancing the viscosity of water-phase. The development of heavy oil reservoirs has
made polymer flooding an important tool. It is most important to choose an appropriate
solution viscosity for polymer flooding in heavier oil reservoirs because low viscosity polymer
flooding has a poor effect and higher viscosity polymer flooding may cause injectivity issues
(Xiangji Dou, 2022).
Limitations of LSP flooding:
The two main drawbacks of polymer type polyacrylamides are that their capacity for shear
disintegration at higher flow-rates and their low performance (lower viscosity and oftenly
undue retention) in higher salinity water. Biopolymers have several drawbacks, like the fact
that they spread more easily in a formation than polyacrylamides however they do not held
on rock surfaces. This results in no residual resistance effect but it can also decrease the
amount needed for a flood process. As so, it is a dubious advantage of biopolymers. Within a
certain range of reservoir conditions, the effectiveness of both polymer kinds is limited. the
thermal degradation of the biopolymers occur too quickly above 200°F/93°C. In waters with
higher concentration of calcium, polyacrylamides can precipitate at temperatures higher than
170°F/77°C. While this theoretically does not impede their successful application in
freshwater environment, it enhance the significance of managing the salinity of flood-water.
There are now sophisticated synthetic and natural polymer type available that overcome
many of these restrictions related to salinity and temperature. (Riley B. Needham, 2021).
Simulation software used:
CMG-STAR is a reservoir simulation software programmed by Computer Modelling Group
(CMG), a prominent provider of reservoir simulation solutions for the petroleum industry. It
form a vital component of CMG's comprehensive suite of reservoir simulation tools, designed
to assist engineers and geoscientists in modeling and increasing performance of oil and gas
reservoir (CMG, 2024).
Different CMG simulators:
• CMG-CMOST is an intelligent optimization and analysis tool. it uses independent data
interpretation, machine learning, and modern statistical analysis to identify the best
reservoirs & operation solution.
• CMG-STAR is Thermal and advance technology simulator. It is The industry standard
for thermal and chemical Enhance Oil Recovery as well as other advanced processes.
• CMG-GEM is Compositional, Unconventional, and Advanced Processes Simulator. It
The industry-leading reservoir simulation tool for composition, chemical, and
unconventional Equation of State oriented reservoirs modeling simulator.
• CMG-IMEX is Black Oil & Unconventional Simulator. IMEX is the top simulator for
black oil reservoirs. It simulates primary, secondary, and tertiary oil recovery
processes,
• CMG-CoFlow is an Integrated & Production System Modelling simulator. It is The first
corporate solution in the industry that enables true collaboration between
production and reservoir engineers on a single asset.
• CMG-Results is Post-Processor, Visualization & Analysis simulator. Modern
visualization and analytical tools are provided by Results to give an insight into
reservoir performance, recovery procedures, and features.
Problem statement:
The performance of water flooding is poor as the difference in viscosity between heavy oil
and water can cause injected liquids to quickly enter producers. A large amount of oil is locked
in the reservoirs. The recovery factor by water flooding is typically less than 20% or even less
than 10%. Using chemicals to increase the viscosity of the displacing phase, e.g. by thickening
water with polymer, has been attracting more and more attention during the recovery of
heavy oil. Preliminary laboratory and simulation studies have shown that polymer flooding
has an excellent potential to improve the recovery of heavy oil reservoirs, but up to date,
there is no large-scale polymer flooding study in the United States and other unconventional
resources.
Objectives:
• Develop and valid 3D core scale model.
• Assess the efficiency of low salinity water/polymer (LSP) in improving the oil recovery.
• Perform sensitivity analysis to explore favourable conditions to maximize the oil
recovery.
References
A.Z. Abidin, T. P. (2012). Polymers for Enhanced Oil Recovery Technology.
Allan Katende, F. S. (2019). A critical review of low salinity water flooding: Mechanism,
laboratory and field application. Journal of Molecular Liquids.
Cheraghian, G., Khalili Nezhad, S. S., Kamari, M., Hemmati, M., Masihi, M., & Bazgir, S. (2014).
Adsoption polymer on reservoir rock and the role of the nanoparticles, clay and SiO2.
Int. Nano Lett. .
CMG. (2024). CMG softwares. From CMG: https://www.cmgl.ca/solutions/software/
Esther C.M. Vermolen, M. P.-A. (2014). Low-Salinity Polymer Flooding: Improving Polymer
Flooding Technical Feasibility and Economics by Using Low-Salinity Make-up Brine.
IPTC 17342.
Gbadamosi, A. O., Junin, R., Manan, M. A., Agi, A., & Yusuff, S. (2019). An overview of chemical
enhanced oil recovery: recent advances and prospects. . Int. Nano Lett. .
Hadi Saboorian-Jooybari, M. D. (2016). Heavy Oil Polymer Flooding from Laboratory Core
Floods to Pilot Tests and Field Applications: Half-Century Studies. Journal of Petroleum
Science and Engineering.
oil and gas hub. (2023, 8 27). From Oil field team:
https://oilfieldteam.com/en/a/learning/Types-of-Oil-and-Gas-Reservoirs
Petrochemical, chemaical & Energy. (2014). From PIN: https://www.petro-
online.com/news/fuel-for-thought/13/breaking-news/what-is-the-difference-
between-primary-secondary-enhanced-recovery-for-oil-extraction/31405
Riley B. Needham, P. H. (2021). Polymer Flooding Review.
Schlumberger. (2024). Glossary. From SLB oil field.
Xiangji Dou, A. W. (2022). Study on the Viscosity Optimization of Polymer Solutions in a Heavy
Oil Reservoir Based on Process Simulation. . Energies,.
