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Study on the Variation of Resistance Factor of Polymer Microspheres with Distance from the Injection Well
Jianbing Li1,2, Xingcai Wu3, Gang Shi3
1School of Petroleum Engineering, Hebei Petroleum University of Technology, Chengde, Hebei 067000, People's Republic of China.
ACS Omega
|May 4, 2026
Summary
Mobility control agents like polymers and microspheres show varying effectiveness with distance. Adding surfactants to polymer microspheres extends their effective range in reservoirs, improving chemical agent selection.
Area of Science:
- Petroleum Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Mobility control agents are crucial for enhanced oil recovery, but their performance degrades over distance due to factors like shear degradation and adsorption.
- The resistance factor (RF) quantifies an agent's mobility control ability, but its variation with migration distance from the injection well is complex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how the resistance factor (RF) of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and polymer microsphere (PM) systems changes with migration distance.
- To establish a predictive relationship between RF and key parameters like migration distance, maximum RF, and decay coefficient.
- To evaluate the impact of injection rate and surfactant addition on PM performance.
Main Methods:
- An 18-m artificial core was segmented to independently measure RF for HPAM and PM systems at different distances.
- Mathematical models were developed to describe the RF variation based on migration distance and agent properties.
- Experiments varied injection rates and PM concentrations (including surfactant addition) to assess their effects on RF.
Main Results:
- HPAM's RF and hydrodynamic radius decreased continuously with distance.
- PM's particle size and RF initially increased then decreased with distance.
- Increased injection rate reduced PM's maximum RF and accelerated RF decline; increased PM concentration enhanced RF and extended effective range.
- Surfactant addition to PMs significantly increased RF and extended their effective range beyond that of PMs alone.
Conclusions:
- The study established a quantitative relationship for RF variation with migration distance, incorporating agent properties and operational parameters.
- Surfactant addition to polymer microspheres is an effective strategy to enhance and extend their mobility control performance in reservoirs.
- The findings offer a new approach for optimizing the selection and design of chemical mobility control agents for improved oil recovery.
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