Shear-Responsive Supramolecular Preformed Particle Gel: Tailoring Network Architectures for Selective Water Blocking

Managing excessive water production in oil fields during primary, secondary, or enhanced recovery remains challenging. It increases costs and reduces hydrocarbon recovery, particularly in reservoirs with high-conductivity pathways such as high-permeability zones and fractures. Hydrogels are commonly used for water blocking and retention; however, their effectiveness diminishes at higher flow rates due to mechanical weaknesses and structural limitations. These problems are intensified under harsh environmental conditions, including high temperatures, salinity, and hardness. In this study, we investigate how altering the molecular suprastructure of preformed particle gel (PPG) can improve its effectiveness in shear-responsive water-blockage treatments, particularly when traditional PPGs cannot control rising flow rates. We enhance the shear-responsive mechanical properties of a composite PPG by increasing the density and diversity of intermolecular interactions. We use two different strategies: first, incorporating cationic groups into the polymer backbone to form a polyampholyte network with stronger electrostatic interactions; second, adding a linear anionic polymer to generate a secondary interpenetrating network that can undergo a coil-stretch transition under thermal and shear stimuli, thereby enhancing its own solvation and whole-network expansion. Molecular simulations provide an interpretation of the experimentally observed shear-thickening response and enhanced disproportionate permeability reduction at high flow rates. The water residual resistance factor of the improved PPGs deviates from the typical shear-thinning power-law behavior (n < 1) observed in conventional PPG, showing shear-thickening (n > 1). Tests reveal a strong ability to preferentially reduce water flow over oil, with Disproportionate Permeability Reduction increasing from 8 to 117 in the high-flow-rate zone. The enhanced strength and thermal stability also improve resistance to washout under high-pressure gradients. This research provides a novel approach to tailoring the microscopic architecture of PPGs to achieve selective, robust water blockage, offering a high-efficiency solution for complex reservoir environments.