Polymer Gel Dehydration During Extrusion Through Fractures

Abstract

Summary: Some of the most successful water shutoff treatments in fractured reservoirs used relatively large volumes of Cr(III)-acetate-HPAM gel that extruded through fractures during the gel placement process. The gel can dehydrate during extrusion, and consequently, propagate at an unexpectedly low rate if the fracture conductivity or width is sufficiently small. This paper characterizes the dehydration phenomenon and its relation to gel extrusion. The findings are relevant to gel placement during field applications.