Excel Or Routine Podcast: Injectivity with Randy Seright

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New Podcast Episode: Injectivity in Polymer Flooding with Randy Seright 🎙️ Episode 2 of the Excel Or Routine Podcast is here: EOR Podcast: Injectivity in Polymer Floods with Randy Seright. Join me for another 1 hour and 30 minutes of in-depth discussion with Randy Seright, one of the leading experts in Polymer Flooding and Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). This episode […]

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EOR/IOR terminology – time for a (real) change?

Leave a Comment / Food for thoughts, General, Polymer News /

EOR/IOR terminology – time for a (real) change? EOR vs. IOR – Time for a Change. On August 1, 2024, the SPE community issued a call for public input on proposed changes to IOR/EOR terminology. Surveys revealed a limited understanding of these terms, highlighting the need for clearer definitions. However, the new proposals—introducing an additional term, AOR (Assisted Oil Recovery)—have raised concerns about adding

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A conversation on microgels, nanogels, and other products in inverse emulsion form

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Microgels and nanogels used for conformance are trending on some parts of the world. When facing significant permeability contrasts (think 10:1), spot treatments with these particles might be an interesting idea to explore before heading straight into polymer flooding. But this isn’t a simple plug-and-inject operation.

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Revisiting polymer selection workflows for chemical EOR

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I tried to revisit the polymer selection workflows for chemical EOR, showing that a majority of tests could be more representative of the reality in the field. Working on new industry standards would greatly benefit all the researchers. Also, understanding the logic behind the tests and what they were initially designed for would save time and avoid disappointments.

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The benefits of ATBS on retention

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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)

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Pressure drop & corefloods

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The first time I was confronted to the way polymer flooding was modeled, I was struck by the number of parameters needed and the complexity of the whole thing. It feels like everyone wanted to be sure to capture absolutely everything: from the molecular interactions to the rheological behavior. The first image that came to my mind was a DJ mixing table: a lot of buttons and no idea which to touch to obtain the desired music without the help of an “expert”.

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Prediction & forecasting

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Sometimes you run into something that you wish you had discovered a bit earlier in your journey, something that could have helped you avoid doing stupid things or, let’s say, optimize your life. For me, the latest examples were Kahneman’s “Thinking fast, Thinking Slow” and Taleb’s “ Black Swan” which I discovered a few years ago…

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