(405e) Performance of a Commercial Preformed Particle Gels (PPGs) in High Temperature and Saline Medium

Using preformed particle gels (PPGs) in water shutoff is an economical alternative to conventional water control methods because of their fast treatment compared to a long time for cement hardening. These formulations can prevent high water production associated with fractured formations by properly sealing such zones, enhancing oil sweep efficiency. The success of a PPG treatment mainly depends on its strength and swelling performance in the presence of the harsh condition of an oil reservoir. This work sought to determine salinity and temperature effects on a commercial PPG's strength and swelling capacity based on a crosslinked copolymer of acrylamide and another commoner. Results show that the swelling and the strength could be adjusted by changing the material's commoner and crosslinker content. The PPGs with a low amount of crosslinker can swell up to 2000 times their original size by absorbing water; the increase in the commoner fraction in the composition of PPG significantly improved the swelling rate of the superabsorbent, especially in a neutral medium. The study also has revealed that the PPG with a high amount of cross-linker content forms a superabsorbent that resists temperatures up to 100 ^oC. In contrast, the PPG with a low percentage of the cross-linker degrades, losing the swollen water. In a saline medium, the PPGs behave differently, and the swelling rate drops to a lower value in both sea and brackish water, forming a residue.

Keywords: preformed particle gels (PPGs), water shutoff, swelling, strength, crosslinker, saline medium, temperature

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to acknowledge the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of the Qatar Foundation) through Grant # NPRP13S-1231-190009. Al-Salam Petroleum Services Company, Qatar, is also acknowledged for co-funding this project. The findings achieved herein are solely the responsibility of the authors. The authors would also like to thank SNF Floerger Company for supplying the polyacrylamide samples.