Efficacy of Synthetic Hydrophobic Associative Tetrapolymers for Improved Recovery of Viscous Oil in Sandpack Model
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This study examined the suitability of hydrophobic associative tetrapolymers (HATs) for enhanced oil recovery through sandpack flooding. Two novel hydrophobic associative tetrapolymers, herein designated as HAT-1 and HAT-2 were synthesised via free radical polymerisation and the structures were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). HAT-1 composed of acrylamide - hydroxyethyl methacrylate - N- vinyl pyrrolidone - N,N-dimethyl acrylamide and HAT-2 consisted of acrylamide - sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulphonate - diallyldimethylammonium chloride - lauryl methacrylate. Comparative tests were carried out under laboratory conditions on the oil displacement efficiencies of the two HAT polymers. The incremental oil recovered using polymer HAT-1 and HAT-2 injection after water flooding were 33.7% and 36.2%, respectively. Combining the oil recovered from water flooding followed by polymer flooding both scenarios, the cumulative recovered using HAT-2, 83.3 % was relatively higher than that of HAT-1, 74.4%. These values are relatively high from the economic perspective. Based on brine viscosity enhancement, mobility ratio reduction and additional oil recovery, HAT-2 polymer exhibited a relatively higher potential to improve oil recovery for reservoirs with characteristics similar to the experimental conditions for this work.
Source: Chemistry & Chemical Technology
Institution: Kumasi Technical University
Language: English
Subfield: Ocean Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: Yangtze University
OpenAlex ID: W4407285388