Masters Theses

Keywords and Phrases

Fracture model; Particle Size Distribution; PPG; Screen model; Threshold Pressure

Abstract

Millimeter-sized preformed particle gels (PPGs) have been successfully used to tackle the high-permeable zones, fractures and channels in mature oilfields for conformance control improvement. PPGs can significantly reduce the permeability of abnormal fractures and divert injected water to the low permeable zones where hydrocarbon was not swept by previous water flooding. Due to the irregularity of PPGs in shapes after swollen, their strength cannot be easily measured using the conventional methods. Therefore, the open hole screen plate models with various hole diameters and density were designed to establish a simple technique that can be used to measure the strength of PPGs quantitatively in laboratory as well as on site during gel treatments. The open fracture plates with various fractures widths were also designed to understand the PPGs propagation and extrusion behavior through fracture and fracture-like channels. The results show that the PPGs threshold pressure is correlated linearly with the elastic modulus (G'). The results from the fracture model indicate that the fracture width has the prominent effect on PPGs extrusion pressure and injectivity. Also, the experimental results show that the resistance factor increases as the fracture size increase which is consistent with the previous findings in PPGs transportation through the porous media. Furthermore, the use of the screening model enables a direct observation of the extruded gel particles from the models, and based on the initial and the extruded PPGs particle size distribution, extrusion patterns of PPGs were determined.--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Bai, Baojun

Committee Member(s)

Flori, Ralph E.
Wei, Mingzhen

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Petroleum Engineering

Sponsor(s)

Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America

Comments

Funding for this research was provided by the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) through the small producer program authorized by the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005. Blue Top Energy LLC and Colt Energy, Inc. are acknowledged for their collaboration in this research

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Spring 2015

Pagination

xvi, 125 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 121-124).

Rights

© 2015 Ali Abdulmohsen Al Brahim, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Subject Headings

Enhanced oil recoveryPermeability -- TestingFracture mechanicsParticle size determination

Thesis Number

T 10658

Electronic OCLC #

913476699

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