polymer flooding

After a year of field testing, a new type of biopolymer developed by Wintershall, Germany’s largest oil and gas producer, is showing promise as an effective enhanced oil recovery (EOR) tool in one of the country’s longest producing oil fields.

Higher oil prices has created increased interest in chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR) using polymers, surfactants, and alkalis. This technology poses some special challenges, especially around water treatment.

The Polymer injection project on the Dalia field, a high permeability sandstone reservoir deep offshore Angola, is a world first in both surface and subsurface aspects. A phased approach was used to manage risks, along with development of new monitoring approaches.