What is polymer flooding?

1. Introduction Polymer flooding is an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method that utilizes high molecular weight (Mw) polymers to increase viscosity of injected water (i.e., reduce water mobility)—thereby improving reservoir sweep efficiency when displacing viscous oil.

Does polymer flooding increase oil recovery?

On the other hand, Huh and Pope (2008) argued that polymer flooding directly after primary production maintains more connected flowing oil ganglia and leads to higher oil recovery levels than if a prior waterflood was applied.

Is foam flooding a viable alternative to polymer flooding?

Foam flooding represents the most promising alternative (Wang et al., 2001; Alcorn et al., 2020), although substantial improvements are needed before they can be competitive with polymer flooding. The primary potential for foams lies in their conceptual ability to form in high-permeability porous rock, but collapse in a less-permeable zone.

Can polymer flooding be applied in low permeability reservoirs?

Polymer flooding in low-permeability reservoirs Interest has recently increased in applying polymer flooding in less-permeable reservoirs, especially carbonates (Ghosh et al., 2021; Mejia et al., 2022; Song et al., 2022). Because of the large-volume of oil target, this topic has substantial potential.

Does anionic polyacrylamide reduce soil erosion?

Anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) has the potential to reduce soil erosion through soil conditioning. However, a comprehensive study about its effectiveness especially when applied combined with other amendments have rarely been conducted in the tropical highland climatic conditions, such as in Ethiopia.

Can polyacrylamide improve soil fertility and crop yield?

Improving soil fertility and crop yield through application of soil amendments such as polyacrylamide (PAM), lime, gypsum, and biochar to agricultural land has emerged as a strategy in numerous countries (Agegnehu et al. 2016; Lee et al. 2015; Sojka et al. 2007). PAM is non-toxic and environmentally friendly (Entry et al. 2008; Song et al. 2018).