Injectivity in Polymer Flooding – What You Need to Know
Predicting Injectivity in Polymer Flooding is a topic that comes up constantly. Over the years, I’ve been asked the same questions again and again:
– How much injectivity will we lose?
– How quickly can it change?
– Will the polymer even inject properly?
These are all important concerns, but sometimes they are overstated. I remember when engineers were worried that exceeding 3cP viscosity would cause fractures, just because a simulation suggested it. This made me realize how much uncertainty exists around injectivity predictions. A few years ago, I co-authored a paper with SLB to explore why polymer injectivity is so hard to predict. Since then, I’ve wanted to revisit the topic and go deeper into the details.
What This Document Covers
In this discussion, I start by defining injectivity and the different factors that influence it. I break down key mechanisms such as polymer rheology, shear-thinning, shear-thickening, drag reduction, and reservoir behavior.
I also look at real-world examples where injectivity didn’t behave as expected. Some projects saw less injectivity loss than predicted, while others experienced unexpected changes due to fractures, polymer degradation, or reservoir properties. By studying these cases, we can learn what really happens in the field and improve our predictions.
Why This Matters
Many models and simulations struggle to capture the real complexity of injectivity. Understanding these limitations helps us make better decisions in the field and avoid overcomplicating things with unnecessary assumptions.
If you work with polymer flooding or are just interested in how injectivity works, this document will give you practical insights into the challenges and solutions.
You can also check our YouTube channel for additional videos and podcasts and navigate the Polymer Flooding Guide for more content or our Academy for training courses where this topic is exhaustively discussed.