Influence of EOR Polymers on Fouling in Production Wells and Facilities

Abstract Cairn Oil & Gas, Vedanta Limited has implemented full field Polymer Flooding in Mangala Field and is currently injecting nearly 400,000 bpd of polymerized injection water with average polymer concentration of ~2500 ppm. Partially hydrolysed polyacrylamide (HPAM) Polymer is mixed with source water to create a mother solution of 15,000 ppm concentration at Central Polymer Facility (CPF) and is distributed through a pipeline network to 15 well pads where it is diluted to achieve a viscosity of ~30 cP for injection. Artificial lift in Mangala is either by Jet Pump or Electrical Submersible Pump (ESP). In producers, a wide range of polymer concentrations are observed in the produced brine. Maximum polymer concentration measured is ~972 ppm and average polymer concentration is ~280 ppm. Recently, during well intervention activities, it is frequently observed that polymer like waxy deposits are obstructing the free movement of wire-line tools. During jet-pump redressing, polymer deposition was observed in the Body X-over (Reservoir liquid path), check valve assembly, throat and spacer nozzle to throat inside jet-pump. In addition, an agglomerated polymer substance was also observed in the slick line tool string. A general observation is that after a jet pump change, production rate increases sharply followed by rapid decline. This requires Jet Pump Change Out (JPCO) job at regular intervals (every 20 days in few wells). Furthermore, semi soft to hard polymer deposits have been observed in surface facilities i.e. injection water booster pumps, injection water filters and heat exchangers. Laboratory analysis of the samples collected indicated that the deposit consists of Hydrocarbon, Inorganic Scales and polymer agglomeration. Based on further studies it is observed that the degree of hydrolysis of the polymer deposit significantly increases between 50-80% in Jet pump deposits and up to 90% in heat exchanger samples. Increasing degree of hydrolysis reduces the polymer cloud point below reservoir temperature and heat exchange skin temperature. Solution to the problem can be identified by controlling the degree of hydrolysis in fresh polymer below 25 mol% and cloud point greater than 120°C, addition of scale inhibitor to the system upstream of scale formation, removal of deposit with a combination of oxidizer and chelant; other options continue to be studied.