ABSTRACT
This project explores the optimization of HPAM (partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide) polymer flooding for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in high-viscosity reservoirs, with simulations executed using the CMG STARS simulator. The study focuses on understanding how variations in key parameters—such as polymer concentration, injection rate, salinity, and polymer degradation characteristics—affect oil recovery and water production, while also highlighting the unique properties of the HPAM polymer.
A detailed reservoir model was developed using the CMG Builder interface to represent realistic geological and petrophysical conditions. The baseline simulation, run on STARS, revealed a significant decline in oil production over time alongside a rapid increase in water cut, underscoring the challenges of maintaining efficient recovery in such reservoirs. Initial sensitivity tests, which adjusted polymer concentration and injection rates, produced only modest improvements in performance. However, further optimization by increasing the polymer concentration, altering the polymer degradation half-life, and adjusting viscosity to account for varying values of reservoir salinity resulted in a more stable production profile, enhanced sweep efficiency, and increased cumulative oil production.
HPAM polymer, known for its shear-thinning behavior and effective mobility control, played a crucial role in improving the displacement efficiency. The insights gained from the STARS simulations demonstrate that fine-tuning the operational parameters of HPAM polymer flooding can lead to substantial improvements in EOR performance, offering valuable guidance for field applications and future research.
