Which polymers are used in oil fields?

Polymers, such as partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM), are widely used in oil fields to enhance or improve the recovery of crude oil from the reservoirs. It works by increasing the viscosity of the injected water, thus improving its mobility and oil recovery.

Does enhanced oil recovery polymer promote microbial growth and accelerated corrosion?

Jia, Ru., Yang, D., Rahman, H. B. A., & Tingyue, Gu. (2018). An enhanced oil recovery polymer promoted microbial growth and accelerated microbiologically influenced corrosion against carbon steel.

How is partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide wastewater treated?

Yongrui, Pi., Zheng, Z., Bao, M., Li, Y., Zhou, Y., & Sang, G. (2015). Treatment of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide wastewater by combined fenton oxidation and anaerobic biological processes.

Are polyacrylamide-degrading bacterial strains isolated from soil?

Two polyacrylamide-degrading bacterial strains were isolated from soil, Bacillus sphaericus and Acinetobacter sp., utilizing 16–19% polyacrylamide after 14 days of cultivation (Matsuoka et al., 2002).

Which polymer is used to produce partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM)?

PAM is used to produce partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM), which is linear, anionic, water-soluble, stable, polymeric, and high molecular weight chain of acrylamide (C 3 H 5 NO) monomers (Bao et al., 2010; Braun et al., 2022; Liu et al., 2016; Xiong et al., 2018).

How does enhanced oil recovery work?

It works by increasing the viscosity of the injected water, thus improving its mobility and oil recovery. However, during such enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations, it also produces a huge quantity of water alongside oil. Depending on the age and the stage of the oil reserve, the oil field produces ~ 7–10 times more water than oil.