Polymer retention is one of the most critical parameters for the success of a polymer flooding project. A high retention means a poor propagation and therefore a delay in the oil bank production but also a much lower viscosity at the front, creating instability.

For instance, @1000ppm and with a retention of 50 µg/g in a sandstone, that’s already a 40% delay factor in % of pore volume. At 3$/kg of polymer in a 40 acres/20ft thick zone, it’s a bit more than 1,2 million USD to satisfy retention… (you can do your own spreadsheet using the SPE166265 for instance)