Optimizing Polymer Selection for EOR Success

Polymer flooding is a widely used Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) technique, designed to increase oil recovery, accelerate production, and improve displacement efficiency. However, polymer selection remains a critical challenge, with many projects attributing failures to polymer properties instead of deeper issues like reservoir heterogeneity and oil saturation estimation. Revisiting polymer selection workflows for Chemical EOR discusses all these aspects.

This paper revisits and refines polymer selection workflows, addressing key parameters to improve polymer injectivity, stability, and efficiency. It also examines the limitations of current testing procedures, advocating for standardization and field-representative methodologies to enhance polymer selection accuracy.

Key Topics Covered:

✅ Polymer Selection Criteria. Identifying polymers with optimal viscosifying power, steady propagation, and stability under reservoir conditions.
✅ Water Quality & Composition. Understanding how salinity, oxygen content, and contaminants impact polymer performance.
✅ Laboratory vs. Field Conditions. Bridging the gap between lab tests and real-world reservoir performance.
✅ Polymer Filtration & Injectivity Risks. Evaluating filterability, shear degradation, and rheological behavior.
✅ Retention & Core Flooding Tests. Addressing polymer adsorption and propagation through porous media.
✅ Challenges in Standardization. Proposing updated protocols for more accurate polymer screening.

Why This Paper Matters for EOR Professionals

For reservoir engineers, researchers, and EOR specialists, this paper provides practical insights into improving polymer selection and testing methodologies. By aligning lab results with field realities, operators can reduce project risks, improve injectivity predictions, and maximize oil recovery efficiency.

Keywords:

Polymer Flooding, Chemical EOR, Enhanced Oil Recovery, Polymer Selection, Reservoir Engineering, Oil Recovery Optimization, Injectivity, Filtration Testing, Core Flooding, Rheology

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