Preparation and Performance Evaluation of Polymeric Microspheres Used for Profile Control of Low-Permeability Reservoirs

To improve in-depth profile control in a low-permeability reservoir, polymeric microspheres were used. A distillation–precipitation polymerization method was adopted to prepare nanometer-sized polymeric microspheres, whose structure, apparent pattern, thermal endurance, particle size, hydration, and...

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Main Authors: Fajun Zhao, Hongbao Zhang, Yanping Wu, Dawei Wang, Yufei Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Journal of Chemistry
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5279608
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author Fajun Zhao
Hongbao Zhang
Yanping Wu
Dawei Wang
Yufei Zhang
author_facet Fajun Zhao
Hongbao Zhang
Yanping Wu
Dawei Wang
Yufei Zhang
author_sort Fajun Zhao
collection DOAJ
description To improve in-depth profile control in a low-permeability reservoir, polymeric microspheres were used. A distillation–precipitation polymerization method was adopted to prepare nanometer-sized polymeric microspheres, whose structure, apparent pattern, thermal endurance, particle size, hydration, and swelling capacity were tested and analyzed by a series of techniques, including infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry, high-pressure and high-temperature rheometry, and dynamic light scattering. The prepared polymeric microspheres were copolymerization products of acrylamide, acrylic acid, and methyl methacrylate that were uniformly round with a centralized size distribution. The nanometer-sized microspheres had satisfactory hydration/swelling performance, indicating that they could act as oil displacement profile control agents. With the increase of shear rate, the apparent viscosity of the polymeric microspheres was significantly reduced, and the fluid possessed a pseudoplastic behavior. When the shear rate was 100–1000 s−1, the fluid demonstrated a Newtonian fluid behavior. After the polymeric microspheres were hydrated, the particle size distribution curve shows a normal distribution, reaching a maximum swelling size of 21.3 times that of the original microspheres. The plugging performance and deformability of the polymeric microspheres gradually enhanced with swelling time, which makes the microspheres effective pore channel plugging agents for delivering a better in-depth profile control effect in rock cores with lower permeability. The core flooding test showed that, for the heterogeneous core with a permeability of 10 μm2, polymer microspheres have good plugging effect.
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issn 2090-9063
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spelling doaj-art-b66b7e2455aa4796a847a7b4ed401e3e2025-02-03T01:05:17ZengWileyJournal of Chemistry2090-90632090-90712020-01-01202010.1155/2020/52796085279608Preparation and Performance Evaluation of Polymeric Microspheres Used for Profile Control of Low-Permeability ReservoirsFajun Zhao0Hongbao Zhang1Yanping Wu2Dawei Wang3Yufei Zhang4Key Laboratory for Improving Oil and Gas Recovery, Ministry of Education, Northeastern Petroleum University, Daqing, Heilongjiang 163318, ChinaKey Laboratory for Improving Oil and Gas Recovery, Ministry of Education, Northeastern Petroleum University, Daqing, Heilongjiang 163318, ChinaKey Laboratory for Improving Oil and Gas Recovery, Ministry of Education, Northeastern Petroleum University, Daqing, Heilongjiang 163318, ChinaKey Laboratory for Improving Oil and Gas Recovery, Ministry of Education, Northeastern Petroleum University, Daqing, Heilongjiang 163318, ChinaKey Laboratory for Improving Oil and Gas Recovery, Ministry of Education, Northeastern Petroleum University, Daqing, Heilongjiang 163318, ChinaTo improve in-depth profile control in a low-permeability reservoir, polymeric microspheres were used. A distillation–precipitation polymerization method was adopted to prepare nanometer-sized polymeric microspheres, whose structure, apparent pattern, thermal endurance, particle size, hydration, and swelling capacity were tested and analyzed by a series of techniques, including infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry, high-pressure and high-temperature rheometry, and dynamic light scattering. The prepared polymeric microspheres were copolymerization products of acrylamide, acrylic acid, and methyl methacrylate that were uniformly round with a centralized size distribution. The nanometer-sized microspheres had satisfactory hydration/swelling performance, indicating that they could act as oil displacement profile control agents. With the increase of shear rate, the apparent viscosity of the polymeric microspheres was significantly reduced, and the fluid possessed a pseudoplastic behavior. When the shear rate was 100–1000 s−1, the fluid demonstrated a Newtonian fluid behavior. After the polymeric microspheres were hydrated, the particle size distribution curve shows a normal distribution, reaching a maximum swelling size of 21.3 times that of the original microspheres. The plugging performance and deformability of the polymeric microspheres gradually enhanced with swelling time, which makes the microspheres effective pore channel plugging agents for delivering a better in-depth profile control effect in rock cores with lower permeability. The core flooding test showed that, for the heterogeneous core with a permeability of 10 μm2, polymer microspheres have good plugging effect.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5279608
spellingShingle Fajun Zhao
Hongbao Zhang
Yanping Wu
Dawei Wang
Yufei Zhang
Preparation and Performance Evaluation of Polymeric Microspheres Used for Profile Control of Low-Permeability Reservoirs
Journal of Chemistry
title Preparation and Performance Evaluation of Polymeric Microspheres Used for Profile Control of Low-Permeability Reservoirs
title_full Preparation and Performance Evaluation of Polymeric Microspheres Used for Profile Control of Low-Permeability Reservoirs
title_fullStr Preparation and Performance Evaluation of Polymeric Microspheres Used for Profile Control of Low-Permeability Reservoirs
title_full_unstemmed Preparation and Performance Evaluation of Polymeric Microspheres Used for Profile Control of Low-Permeability Reservoirs
title_short Preparation and Performance Evaluation of Polymeric Microspheres Used for Profile Control of Low-Permeability Reservoirs
title_sort preparation and performance evaluation of polymeric microspheres used for profile control of low permeability reservoirs
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5279608
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