Investigating the Potential of a Transparent Xanthan Polymer for Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Comprehensive Study on Properties and Application Efficacy

Gerd Hublik, Riyaz Kharrat (), Ali Mirzaalian Dastjerdi and Holger Ott
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Gerd Hublik: Jungbunzlauer Austria AG, 2064 Wulzeshofen, Austria
Riyaz Kharrat: Department Geoenergy, Montanuniversität Leoben, 8700 Leoben, Austria
Ali Mirzaalian Dastjerdi: Department Geoenergy, Montanuniversität Leoben, 8700 Leoben, Austria
Holger Ott: Department Geoenergy, Montanuniversität Leoben, 8700 Leoben, Austria

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: This study delves into the properties and behavior of xanthan TNCS-ST, a specialized variant designed for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) purposes. A notable aspect of this polymer is its transparency and capability to dissolve in high salt concentrations, notably up to 18% total dissolved solids. Various laboratory methods are employed to assess the polymer’s distinctive traits, including transparency, salt tolerance, and high pyruvylation. These methods encompass preparing xanthan solutions, conducting filtration tests, assessing energy consumption, and measuring rheological properties. The findings highlight the influence of salt concentration on xanthan’s filterability, indicating increased energy requirements for dissolution with higher salt and xanthan concentrations. Additionally, this study observes temperature-dependent viscosity behavior in different solutions and evaluates the shear stability of xanthan. A significant and novel characteristic of TNCS-ST is its high salt tolerance, enabling complete dissolution at elevated salt concentrations, thus facilitating the filterability of the xanthan solution with sufficient time and energy input. Core flooding experiments investigate fluid dynamics within porous rock formations, particularly sandstone and carbonate rocks, while varying salinity. The results underscore the substantial potential of the new xanthan polymer, demonstrating its ability to enhance oil recovery in sandstone and carbonate rock formations significantly. Remarkably, the study achieves a noteworthy 67% incremental recovery in carbonate rock under the high salinity level tested, suggesting promising prospects for advancing enhanced oil recovery applications.

Keywords: xanthan; filtration; rheological properties; salt tolerance; enhanced oil recovery (EOR) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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