Treated Produced Water Polymer Flooding for Reduced Polymer Use

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Solution Overview

Problem

High polymer concentrations are required in existing EOR processes for carbonate reservoirs due to harsh conditions, leading to high costs and environmental challenges with seawater use, while produced water is not effectively utilized.

Innovation Solution

A method using treated produced water (TPW) to prepare a polymer solution with reduced polymer concentrations, involving pretreatment to remove salts, hydrogen sulfide, and oil, achieving viscosities suitable for EOR in carbonate and sandstone reservoirs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If high polymer concentrations are used in EOR processes for carbonate reservoirs, then the desired viscosity is achieved, but the cost increases and environmental challenges arise

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveviscosityVSAvoidpolymer concentration

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the water chemistry parameters by using produced water with specific ionic composition instead of conventional injection water. This parameter change allows the polymer to achieve target viscosity at lower concentrations, resolving the contradiction between achieving desired viscosity and reducing polymer quantity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes produced water, a waste stream from oil production, as the injection medium for polymer flooding. This self-service approach converts a waste product into a valuable resource that helps achieve EOR objectives while reducing the need for additional polymer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If seawater is used for polymer flooding, then injection water is available, but environmental challenges and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinjection water availabilityVSAvoidenvironmental challenges

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention recovers and reuses produced water that would otherwise be discarded or require costly treatment. By treating produced water to remove contaminants and using it as injection water, the process eliminates environmental challenges associated with seawater or untreated produced water disposal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts produced water, which contains contaminants and is typically considered a waste product requiring disposal, into a beneficial injection medium for polymer flooding. The treatment process transforms harmful contaminants into removable impurities, turning a harmful waste stream into a useful resource

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Ease of manufacture

If produced water is not treated and reused, then treatment costs are avoided, but recycling and reuse opportunities are lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment costVSAvoidproduced water utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies treatment processes that modify the chemical and physical parameters of produced water, removing contaminants and adjusting composition to make it suitable for polymer flooding. These parameter changes enable produced water reuse while managing treatment costs effectively

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a multi-functional system where produced water treatment serves dual purposes: environmental protection through contaminant removal and resource utilization for EOR. The treated produced water simultaneously acts as a solvent for polymer dissolution and as the injection medium for flooding operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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

Reduces polymer consumption, enhances mobility control, and facilitates recycling and reuse of produced water, improving the economic and environmental sustainability of EOR processes.

Implementation Method 1

The addition of polymer to the injection water increases the viscosity of water to lower the mobility and increase the sweep efficiency in porous media for EOR

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectViscosity enhancement:

Implementation Method 2

heating the produced water to generate steam; and condensing the steam into a liquid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEvaporation and condensation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS20250326966A1Enhanced oil recovery process with polymer flooding using treated produced water

Publication Date: 2025.10.23 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

A method includes: removing at least some portions of salts, H2S and oil from a produced water to provide a treated produced water; dissolving a polymer in the treated produced water at a polymer concentration from 100 parts per million (ppm) to 1000 ppm to provide a polymer solution having a viscosity from 5 cP (mPa·s) to 100 cP (mPa·s) at a temperature from 20° C. to 22° C.; and injecting the polymer solution into a subterranean formation through a wellbore to recover hydrocarbons trapped in the subterranean formation.