Gels intended to enhance oil recovery and prevent water and gas breakthrough

A new method has been proposed to control filtration flows of reservoir fluids (oil, gas and water) by the solutions of polymers capable to generate gels and foamed gels in situ.

The principal feature of the method: at low temperatures the solutions have low viscosity, whereas at high temperatures they are converted into gels. It is a reversible process: at cooling the gel again becomes a low-viscous solution. At reheating it transforms into gel etc. One can control gelation temperature by different additives taking into account the formation conditions, i.e. temperature and brine salinity.

METKA systems, forming gels and foamed gels in situ, may be effectively used to reduce water cut, to eliminate behind-the-casing flow, to prevent gas breakthrough, to remove the gas cones etc.

METKA systems consist of large-tonnage commercial products. METKA systems are ecologically safe and easy-to-use under the conditions of oil fields. The systems are prepared and injected employing standard oil field equipment.

Pilot tests of gels were successfully carried out in oil fields of the West Siberia. At present the technologies are industrially used in oil fields of West Siberia. On the average additional oil recovery amounts to 1-3 thousand tons per one well treatment. The payback period is 6-12 months.

In 2001 behind-the-casing flow was eliminated in the gas-producing well in Myldzhinskoye oil field (West Siberia). As a result the water cut decreased from 33 % to trace amounts, gas flow rate increased from 300 to 424 thou. m³ a day.

Prof. Lyubov K. Altunina, Director of the Institute

Dr. Vladimir A. Kuvshinov

Institute of Petroleum Chemistry

3, Akademichesky Avenue, 634021,Tomsk, Russia

Phone: 7(382-2) 491623, 491146, 492411, 491621

Fax: 7(382-2) 491457 E-mail: alk@ipc.tsc.ru & canc@ipc.tsc.ru Internet: http://www.ipc.tsc.ru