Challenges in Selection and Using of Production Chemicals with CEOR Operations During Polymer Breakthrough Phase

Abstract Enhanced Oil Recovery is important stage of life cycle of a field and often it is implemented with challenges. In the chemical EOR, challenges and surprises are expected in production chemistry and production facilities operations. Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide used widely for controlling mobility ratio so that Operator is able to recover maximum possible oil. With complex water chemistry and rich in positively charged divalent ions, flooded polymer having negative charge interacts with divalent ions of produced water. Back produced sheared polymer interacts with divalent ions to form semi hard to hard scales poses challenges of the reliability of production facilities. Other important limitations to be noted in CEOR phase are using production chemicals to control scale, emulsion and microbial treatment under Hydrogen Sulphide and waxy crude environment. This paper discusses about the requirement of preparedness and how to overcome challenges of EOR operations and in handling the back produced polymer in following areas: Selection of production chemicals to be compatible to polymer so that no or minimal degradation or loss of viscosity due to polarity of chemicalsPerformance of production chemicals in the presence of polymerSolids loading in production system Emulsion and produced water treatmentSuitability of produced water treatment facilities Revised scaling and fouling control with back produced polymer with rich divalent ions present in produced waterStrategizing chemical management system to suit polymer flood and polymerized back produced water treatment regime