Overview of Polymer Flooding

Documents covering the full spectrum and other reviews.

A video from Randy Seright summarizing the current status and future directions of Polymer Flooding (2023).


UK Oil and Gas Authority


Randy Seright’s online course

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to polymer flooding for improved sweep and mobility control in reservoirs. It makes a distinction between polymer flooding and gel treatments. Topics covered include rheology in porous media, injectivity issues, polymer stability (mechanical, oxidative, chemical/thermal, microbial), polymer retention and propagation issues, and polymer flood design. A comparison of polymer flooding versus in-depth profile modification is provided.

You can download the complete presentation here, or download individual chapters by following the links below. 

Polymer Flooding Topics

  1. Distinction between polymer floods and gel treatments
  2. Overview of polymer flooding
  3. Potential for polymer flooding viscous oils
  4. How much polymer should be injected?
  5. Rheology in porous media
  6. Injectivity
  7. Polymer retention
  8. Chemical/Oxidative stability of polymers
  9. Polymer flooding versus in-depth gelation
  10. Colloidal dispersion gels
  11. Can polymers Reduce Sor below that for waterflooding?
  12. Other approaches for mobility control
  13. Surface issues for polymer flooding