Title: Synthesis and application of a pH-triggered microgel in reservoir mobility-control

Authors: Peng Zhang; Wenzhang Huang; Zhenfu Jia; Chengyu Zhou; Yefei Wang; Dandan Li; Shixun Bai; Hong He; Maolei Guo; Haiyang Yu

Addresses: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China ' School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China ' School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China ' School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Science and Technology, Chongqing 401331, China ' School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China ' School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China ' School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China ' School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China ' Institute of Shanxi Yanchang Petroleum (Group) Co. Ltd., Xi'an, Shanxi 710075, China ' Hekou Oil Production Plant, SINOPEC Shengli Oilfield Company, Dongying, Shangdong 257067, China

Abstract: The pH-triggered microgel (PTM) was synthesised with acrylic acid (AA) as monomer, triallyl pentaerythritol ether (TPE) as cross-linking agent, ethyl acetate and cyclohexane as solvent, and bis-(2-ethylhexyl) peroxydicarbonate (EHP) as initiator at 65°C. Structure of PTM was determined by infrared spectrometry (IR). The influences of temperature, concentration of electrolyte and degree of neutralisation on the viscosity of PTM were investigated. As a novel mobility-control agent, the product was evaluated in terms of percent permeability reduction (PPR) and flushing resistance. The results showed that PTM has the best comprehensive performance when EHP content was 0.3% and TPE content was 1% (by monomer weight). Under this condition, the viscosity of PTM could reach as high as 73,000 mPa.s, and the percent of permeability reduction is 97% in simulative carbonate reservoir. [Received: September 27, 2013; Accepted: July 2, 2014]

Keywords: pH-triggered microgel; PTM synthesis; viscosity; percent permeability reduction; PPR; mobility control agents; polymer gel; temperature; electrolyte concentration; neutralisation; flushing resistance; simulation; carbonate reservoirs.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2015.067492

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2015 Vol.9 No.2, pp.180 - 191

Received: 09 Oct 2013
Accepted: 02 Jul 2014
Published online: 18 Mar 2015 *

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