Approach to designing and feasibility study of surfactant-polymer flooding implementation at the oil field

UDK: 622.276.43:678

DOI: 10.24887/0028-2448-2026-3-50-55

Key words: surfactant-polymer flooding, oil displacement factor, hydrodynamic modeling, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods, carbonate reservoirs, pilot project, net present value

Authors: D.R. Altynbaeva (ZN STC LLC, RF, Moscow); A.I. Kolosova (ZN STC LLC, RF, Moscow); I.V. Tkachev (ZN STC LLC, RF, Moscow); A.V. Kornilov (ZN STC LLC, RF, Moscow); D.S. Kruglov (ZN STC LLC, RF, Moscow); G.V. Sansiev (Zarubezhneft JSC, RF, Moscow); A.A. Kozhemyakin (Zarubezhneft JSC, RF, Moscow)

One of the pressing tasks in the oil industry is developing effective methods for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) to increase the profitable operation period of fields during late-stage development. To improve the oil displacement coefficient, a surfactant-polymer flooding project was implemented at one of the fields operated by RUSVIETPETRO JV LLC. This field is characterized by complex operating conditions: high formation temperatures (70 °C), high salinity (209 g/l), hydrophobic carbonate reservoir, absence of pressure maintenance system, harsh Arctic climate, remoteness of the field, and limited accessibility of transport infrastructure. For this project, criteria were established for selecting surfactants and polymers, with an domestic produced surfactant selected based on these criteria. The effectiveness of the chosen surfactant-polymer formulation was confirmed through laboratory tests through experiments evaluating capillary desaturation curves with surfactant-polymer and surfactant compositions, experiments assessing oil displacement efficiency. The primary parameters determined during filtration experiments are presented along with their transfer into full-scale hydrodynamic models. The paper presents an approach for choosing sites for conducting a pilot project using hydrodynamic simulation, forming selection criteria for the most efficient areas for waterflooding/surfactant-polymer flooding. An optimal strategy for implementing surfactant-polymer flooding without prior history of water injection is defined, involving two consecutive phases: implementation of waterflooding at Site № 1 followed by surfactant-polymer flooding at Site № 2. Major risks associated with planning the pilot project are also outlined.

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