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Recent Innovations in Chemical Engineering

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 2405-5204
ISSN (Online): 2405-5212

Review Article

The Opportunities and Challenges of Preformed Particle Gel in Enhanced Oil Recovery

Author(s): Imran Akbar* and Zhou Hongtao*

Volume 13, Issue 4, 2020

Page: [290 - 302] Pages: 13

DOI: 10.2174/2405520413666200313130911

Price: $65

Abstract

Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), is a technique that has been used to recover the remaining oil from the reservoirs after primary and secondary recovery methods. Some reservoirs are very complex and require advanced EOR techniques that containing new materials and additives in order to produce maximum oil in economic and environmentally friendly manners. Because of EOR techniques, in this work previous and current challenges have been discussed, and suggested some future opportunities. This work comprises the key factors, such as; transport of Preformed Particle Gels (PPGs), Surface wettability and conformance control that affect the efficiency of PPGs. The conduits, fractures, fracture-like features and high permeability streaks are the big challenges for EOR, as they may cause early water breakthrough and undesirable water channeling. Hence, the use of PPGs is one of the exclusive commercial gel inventions, which not only increases the oil production but also decreases the water cut during the oil production. Moreover, different studies regarding PPG, surfactants, and Silica nanoparticle applications, such as the effect of salinity, particle size, swelling ratio, gel strength, wettability, and adsorption were also discussed. Future work is required in order to overcome the conformance problems and increase the oil recovery.

Keywords: Adsorption, oil recovery, permeability, preformed particle gel, silica nanoparticles, wettability.

Graphical Abstract
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