THERMOTROPIC INORGANIC AND POLYMER GEL TO ENHANCE OIL RECOVERY

Cand.Sc. Ida A. Savinova, Scientific Secretary
Institute of Petroleum Chemistry, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
3, Akademichesky Prosp., Tomsk, 634021, Russia

Description
New technologies have been developed to enhance oil recovery using thermotropic inorganic
and polymer gel-forming systems (GALKA, METKA, ROMKA), which are low-viscosity
solutions under surface conditions and are capable of generating gels in-situ. The systems
produce deflecting shields in reservoirs to control filtration flows, thus increasing oil recovery
and decreasing water cut in production wells.
Gelation occurs under the action of the thermal energy of the reservoir or the injected heat
carrier. The gelation time can be varied from several minutes to several days in the temperature range of 20-300 C. The gelation time depends on the temperature and component
ratio of the gel-forming system. The gelation process reduces the reservoir rock permeability
to water by a factor of 4-35. The higher the initial water saturation and the reservoir rock
permeability, the larger the permeability reduction.
The safety of the reactants for man and the environment enables a wide application of the gel
technologies in Russia’s oil fields, especially at a later stage of their development.

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