You Qing

Residual Polymer Reutilization for IOR after Polymer Flooding: From Laboratory to Field Application in Daqing Oilfield

Abstract According to the reservoir condition of the Lamadian block for polymer flooding in Daqing oilfield, the optimized flocculating agent was studied in order to fully use residual polymer in formation and improve oil recovery after polymer flooding. The experimental results showed that stabilized sodium clay is the best flocculating agent and can react with residual polymer to form a floc unit for improved oil recovery (IOR). Using atomic force microscopy, we can see that the flocculating agent can react with residual polymer to form a floc unit and one clay particle usually reacts with four to seven polymer molecules. This residual reutilization technology was applied in six injection wells of Lamadian in Daqing oilfield; the six injection wells had 13 connected production wells with an average water cut of 95.5% and produced polymer concentration of 459 mg/L. About 30,971 m3 flocculating fluid with 842 tons of flocculating agent was injected into the six injection wells. After treatment, the injection pressure of injection wells was increased and the injection profile was improved; the water cut of the connected production wells was decreased and the oil production rate was increased. The oil increment was 3.6 tons/day, the water cut decrement was 2.5%, and the produced polymer concentration decrement was 89 mg/L. By March 2008, the accumulated oil increment was 2,878 tons and the input–output ratio was 1:3.33.