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INTRODUCTION
Excessive water production from oil and
gas wells is a widespread problem that can
sometimes be reduced by re-completing the
well or by intervening with cement or polymer
gel treatments. These solutions, however,
require identification and isolation of the
watered-out layer and are not always feasible:
examples include microlayered formations and
gravel-pack completed wells.
The use of RPM agents is an attractive
option in these cases. The RPM chemical can
be injected (bullheaded) into all open intervals
to reduce the permeability to water1,2,3. One of
the most common RPM treatments employs
solutions of water-soluble, high molecular
weight polymers that adsorb onto the surface
of the porous rock, changing its flow
properties. The main advantages of this
method are:
Low cost (limited quantities of
chemical are used, and the treatment
does not require zone isolation)
Low risk (the polymer reduces water
permeability without plugging the
formation)
Low environmental impact
The execution of these treatments in the
field is relatively simple. Nevertheless, the
absence of reliable criteria for identifying
suitable candidate wells and the best treatment
chemical have resulted in only a modest rate of
success
and
have
complicated
the
interpretation of field results.
In the present work, we report guidelines
developed in laboratory and simulation studies
RESULTS
Selecting the chemical
To clarify the factors that govern the
effectiveness of polymer treatments we have
investigated the nature of the polymer-rock
interactions and the impact of rock lithology
and wettability5.
The polymer-rock interactions have been
investigated by means of adsorption isotherms
and kinetics for polymers of varying structure
(biopolymers, polyacrylamide, and other
synthetic co- and terpolymers), charge
(cationic, anionic and non-ionic), and
molecular weight (5*105 5*10 6 Dalton). The
tests were carried out on reservoir sands and
cores of varying lithology and wettability.
The following guidelines have been derived
from these studies6,7:
Adsorption is governed by the
electrostatic interactions between rock
and polymer (cationic polymers are
particularly indicated for applications
in siliceous and clay formations);
polymer adsorption tests provide a
useful method of initial screening
The optimal molecular weight has to
be defined considering principally the
injectivity of the polymer solution. In
general a compromise exists between
the following requirements:
196
Increased
adsorption
and
magnitude of the RPM effect
(favored by higher molecular
weights).
Good injectivity and low risk of
plugging during injection (favored
by lower molecular weights)
Brine
composition
influences
adsorption (the presence of divalent
cations in the polymer solution can
substantially increase the adsorption of
negatively charged polyacrylamides)
The presence of crude oil can
substantially
reduce
polymer
adsorption onto rock.
FIELD TEST
These guidelines have been applied
successfully in the treatment of a gas well in
Southern Italy that had been shut-down since
April 1989, after a period of only ten months
on production. The last production parameters
(1996) were Qg = 22000 Sm3/d, QW = 30 m3/d
197
30000
20000
10000
gas
water
40
30
20
10
40000
RPM treatment
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Test 96 0
Time after the treatment (months)
Fig 1 Gas and water production before and after the polymer treatment
0
REFERENCES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
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in producing wells, JPT, July 1991, 802-867.
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