Preparation and Performance Evaluation of High-Temperature Resistant Acrylamide/Vinylpyrrolidone Copolymer-Based Gel...

Area of Science:

• Petroleum Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Conventional polymer gels lack thermal stability for high-temperature reservoirs.
• Effective water shutoff is crucial for mature oil field production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-temperature-resistant polymer gel for water plugging applications.
• To evaluate the thermal stability and performance of the novel gel under reservoir conditions.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of acrylamide/vinylpyrrolidone copolymer (P(AM/NVP)) gel crosslinked with hydroquinone-hexamethylenetetramine (HQ-HMTA).
• Thermal stability testing (weight retention at 150 °C for 180 days).
• Rheological analysis (storage modulus G') and microscopic evaluation.
• Core flooding tests to assess injectivity and plugging efficiency.

Main Results:

• The P(AM/NVP)-based gel achieved a Sydansk strength code of H at 150 °C with a 9.5 h gelation time.
• Exhibited excellent thermal stability, retaining over 90% weight after 180 days at 150 °C.
• Demonstrated a dense, stable network (high G') and high plugging rate (>98%) with resistance factors of 3.99–129.93 in core floods.

Conclusions:

• The developed P(AM/NVP)-based gel exhibits superior thermal stability and effective water plugging performance.
• This gel shows significant potential for water shutoff in high-temperature oil reservoirs.