Chlorine Dioxide Treatment for Polymer Gel Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of produced water in oil recovery operations is hindered by contaminants that degrade polymer gels, leading to reduced efficiency and increased costs in fracturing and polymer flooding processes, and the recycling of polymer-laden fluids is complicated by polymer plugging and separation issues.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a treatment fluid containing a polymer gel and a polymer gel-preserving amount of chlorine dioxide, which stabilizes the polymer gel and facilitates the reuse of aqueous phases by separating hydrocarbons from water, reducing the need for costly filtration processes and minimizing formation damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If produced water is used in fracturing and polymer flooding operations, then water consumption is reduced and environmental impact is minimized, but polymer gel performance deteriorates due to contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by treating produced water with chlorine dioxide before it contacts the polymer gel. This pre-treatment removes contaminants that would otherwise degrade the polymer, ensuring the polymer gel maintains its performance while still enabling the use of produced water for environmental benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
Chlorine dioxide serves as an intermediary substance between the produced water and polymer gel. It selectively oxidizes contaminants in the produced water without significantly affecting the polymer gel, thereby mediating the interaction to protect polymer performance while enabling produced water reuse.
2Reliability
If conventional filtration techniques are used to treat produced water, then polymer gel performance is maintained, but throughput is limited and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical filtration systems with chemical oxidation using chlorine dioxide. This substitution eliminates the throughput limitations and high costs associated with nano-filtration, electrocoagulation, and conventional filtration while effectively removing contaminants that degrade polymer gel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the treatment parameter from mechanical filtration to chemical oxidation. By using chlorine dioxide oxidation instead of physical filtration, the system achieves contaminant removal with much higher throughput capacity and lower operational costs while maintaining polymer gel performance.
3Productivity
If polymer flooding is employed to increase recovery factor, then hydrocarbon recovery is improved, but polymer plugging and separation issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the extraction principle by using chlorine dioxide to selectively remove and oxidize polymer that has plugged in the formation. This extracted and oxidized polymer can then be separated from the produced fluids, clearing plugging issues while maintaining the beneficial hydrocarbon recovery effects of polymer flooding.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses chlorine dioxide, a strong oxidant, to accelerate the breakdown of plugged polymer in the formation. This oxidation process converts the plugged polymer into soluble or separable forms, eliminating plugging issues and facilitating easier separation of polymer from produced fluids.
4Productivity
If large volumes of water are used in fracturing operations, then adequate fracture propagation and proppant transport are achieved, but water availability and environmental impact are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the quality parameter of the water from fresh water to treated produced water. By using chlorine dioxide to treat produced water and remove contaminants, the system maintains adequate water volume for fracture propagation and proppant transport while using produced water instead of fresh water, reducing environmental impact.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances hydrocarbon recovery, improves polymer performance, and reduces the amount of polymer needed in cyclic flooding processes, resulting in significant materials cost savings and increased oil recovery while maintaining formation integrity.
Implementation Method 1
treating at least the aqueous portion of the production fluid with chlorine dioxide
Implementation Method 2
treating at least the aqueous portion of the production fluid with chlorine dioxide to separate additional hydrocarbons from the aqueous portion
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes introducing a treatment fluid including a first polymer gel into a subterranean formation to generate a production fluid having an aqueous portion and a hydrocarbon portion, treating the aqueous portion of the production fluid with chlorine dioxide to separate additional hydrocarbons from the aqueous portion, and adjusting the viscosity of the treated aqueous portion prior to introducing the treated aqueous portion back into the subterranean formation.