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Abstract
The bottle test method that is currently used to estimate
gelation only provides a qualitative description and also does
not necessarily reflect what happens in a porous media. This
paper aims to show a relationship between the permeability of
a porous medium that has been injected with a pre gel polymer
and the gelling state given by a bottle test. In this way a better
estimation of the gel strength in the reservoir can be made.
Introduction
Polymer gels have been used in oil field for water shut off and
sweep efficiency improvement. In recent years, the state of a
gel is described qualitatively by the gel strength code, where
code A to code J using bottle testing. Robert D.Sydansk
studied the gelation rate and gel strength by using bottle
testing. However, the bottle testing does not indicate the extent
of plugging that occurs in the porous medium.
The aim of this study is to develop a relationship between
the alphabetic gelation system and the degree of plugging in
the porous medium. The most relevant form of testing for gel
plugging efficiency proved to be the permeability reduction in
porous medium.
Theory
There are several alternatives to overcome water production
problem during the course of oil or gas production. One of
them is cementing technology which is aimed at reducing
channeling problem behind the pipe to isolate water-producing
zone. However, this approach is costly and not entirely
reliable. So, gel polymer is preferable and is gaining wider
acceptance on account of its cost-effectiveness. Moreover, it is
efficient in improving water-oil ratio. Cross-linked polymer
utilizing Al3+ as cross-linker introduced by Needham, et. al
was successfully applied in Minnelusa reservoir in 1979. Since
SPE 84862
Bottle Test Gel Strength Code
A(1)
B(2)
C(3)
D(4)
E(5)
Barely flowing gel. The gel slowly flows to the bottle cap
and/ or a significant portion (>15%) of the gel does not
flow upon inversion.
F(6)
Highly deformable non flowing gel. The gel does not flow
to the bottle cap upon inversion (gel flows to just short of
reaching the bottle cap).
G(7)
H(8)
I (9)
J(10)
is
no
gel
surface
deformation
SPE 84862
Sandpack
Jar
Length
Permeability
Porosity
(cm)
(cm)
(md)
(%)
3.8
20.4
3,462
0.47
3.8
20.4
1,731
0.43
3.8
20.4
1,587
0.43
3.8
20.4
8,149
0.43
3.8
20.4
5,585
0.41
30.5
3,230
0.5
30.5
29,071
0.47
30.5
19,381
0.43
30.5
31,267
0.43
10
30.5
38,040
0.55
11
30.5
17,579
0.43
12
30.5
11,406
0.42
Pressure gauge
sandpack
Diameter
1
Transfer cylinders
Brine water
Gel solution
Gas Nitrogen
18000
6000
5,000 ppm
xanthan
/44:1 Xanthan: Cr
5000
14000
Permeability (mD)
Permeability (mD)
16000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
III
4000
3000
2000
10,000 ppm PAM / 1,000 ppm
phenol formaldehyde
1000
2000
0
0
24
Time (hour)
Sandpack 2
Sandpack 4
0
0
24
66
70
Time (hour)
Sandpack 11
Sandpack 3
Sandpack 5
71
72
SPE 84862
35000
12000
5,000 ppm xanthan
/44:1 Xanthan: Cr III
25000
Permeability (mD)
Permeability (mD)
30000
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
0
Time (hour)
24
66
70
71
72
96
Time (hour)
Sandpack 9
Sandpack 12
Sandpack 7
Sandpack 6
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
A
Gel Code
20,000 ppm PAM/454 ppm Cr(III)
10,000ppm PAM/3,000 ppm phenol formaldehyde
10,000 ppm PAM/227 ppm Cr(III)
10,000 ppm PAM/1,000 ppm phenol formaldehyde
20,000 ppm/3,000 ppm phenol formaldehyde
SPE 84862
100
100
90
Permeability reduction (%)
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
20
10
Gel Code
0
A
Gel Code
Conclusion
1.
When gel strength code H was observed, that is, the
gel surface deformed slightly upon inversion, the permeability
reduction in the sandpack was 100%. Therefore the alphabetic
code can be used to estimate total blocking.
2. Type of polymer and crosslinking agent affected the
permeability reduction in the sandpack. The same gel strength
code
achieved
by
xanthan/crosslinker
and
polyacrylamide/crosslinker
systems
gave
different
permeability reductions in the sandpack.
3. Clear trends were seen between the alphabetic code
and sand pack permeability reduction when the same polymer
and crosslinker were used in both estimations. Consequently,
the gelling time can be estimated using bottle tests specific to
one polymer and crosslinker.
Nomenclature
K = Absolute permeability, L2, mD
= Porosity
ppm = part of million
Q = flow rate, cc/s
= viscosity, cp
A
= area, cm2
dP/dL = atm/cm
K=
Q
A(dP/dL) -------------- Darcys equation
Permeability reduction(%)
90
80
70
60
50
40
Acknowledgements
30
20
10
0
A
Code Gel
5,000 ppm xanthan/113 ppm Cr(II)
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11
12.
13.
14.
15.
SPE 84862
E 03 = Pa.s
E 04 = m2
o
( F 32 )/1.8 = oC