Transport And Plugging Behavior Of Co2-Resistant Preformed Particle Gels In High Conductive Channels For Conformance Control

Author

Adel Alotibi, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Abstract

"Improving oil recovery is essential with rising global oil demand and declining production in mature fields. CO₂ flooding has been widely applied as a major Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) method due to its effectiveness in boosting oil recovery while enabling safe carbon storage in the subsurface. However, in fractured and highly heterogeneous reservoirs, CO₂ often flows through paths of least resistance, leading to early breakthrough or quick excessive CO₂ production and leaving substantial oil in unswept zones or areas. Traditional in-situ polymer gels have been applied to control CO₂ flooding conformance, their performance has been varied, potentially due to gel instability under CO₂ conditions. This study systematically evaluates a novel CO₂-resistant branched re-crosslink able preformed particle gels (CO₂-BRPPG) to enhance CO₂ sweep efficiency. Rheological properties of micro- and millimeter-sized particles of CO₂-BRPPG were tested under varying conditions of temperature, salinity, and pressure. Transport mechanisms of micro-sized CO₂-BRPPG in super-permeable channels were analyzed, showing how each factor influenced gel propagation and plugging efficiency. Additionally, millimeter-sized CO₂-BRPPG was assessed in an open fracture model during water and CO₂ flooding, identifying key parameters affecting gel transport, dehydration and plugging performance to CO₂ and water. The study demonstrated that RPPG remains stable under CO₂ conditions, providing reliable technology for effective conformance control during CO₂ flooding. These findings provide crucial evidence supporting the application of CO₂-BRPPG for conformance control, offering insights to optimize oil recovery in reservoirs with high heterogeneity"-- Abstract, p. iv

Advisor(s)

Bai, Baojun
Schuman, Thomas P.

Committee Member(s)

Imqam, Abdulmohsin
Eckert, Andreas
Sun, Xindi

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Degree Name

Ph. D. in Petroleum Engineering

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Spring 2025

Pagination

xx, 173 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes_bibliographical_references_(pages 53, 90, 125, 161 and 167-172)

Rights

©2024 Adel Alotibi , All Rights Reserved

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 12451

Recommended Citation

Alotibi, Adel, "Transport And Plugging Behavior Of Co2-Resistant Preformed Particle Gels In High Conductive Channels For Conformance Control" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations. 3375.
https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/doctoral_dissertations/3375