Preparation and characterization of nanocomposite polymer solution based on polyacrylamide for enhanced oil recovery

Abstract

The objectives of this study are: comparison between the water flooding and polymer flooding in terms of sweep efficiency and oil recovery in both of lab and large scale, study the different between polymer solution and nanocomposite polymer solution in terms of thermal viscosity yield, shear viscosity yield, and PH values, study the relationship between the viscosity of polymer solution with mobility ratio, sweep efficiency, and oil recovery. Surface modification of nanoclay by using silane coupling agent according to ethanol solution method was used to enhance the adhesion between nanoclay and polyacrylamide. Nanocomposites of polyacrylamide were prepared according to solution method. The different between water and polymer flooding were determined via flooding test. The contrast between polymer solution and nanocomposites polymer solution of polyacrylamide were studied by using viscosity yield test. The investigation were conducted at constant shear rate of 6.6 S’1, for temperatures between 35 °C to 90 °C and at different shear rate of 6.6 ' 'S to 159 S'1 for constant temperature at 25 °C. Characterization of nanocomposite of polyacrylamide, polyacrylamide (PAM), Montmorillonite (MMT), and modified MMT were determined by using FTIR, and thermal stability of polyacrlamide and nanocomposites of polyacrylamid were study by using Thermogravematric analysis. The results indicate that the polymer flooding has higher volumetric sweep efficiency than water flooding in both of lab and reservoir simulation, nanocomposite polymer solutions have higher yield viscosity than polymer solution in both of thermal and share yield. Also nanocomposites of polyacrylamide have higher thermal stability than polyacrilamide, and moderate values of pH.