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Effects of polymers as direct CO2 thickeners on the mutual interactions between a light crude oil and CO2

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Abstract

In this paper, two commercial polymers with relatively low molecular weights, poly vinyl ethyl ether (PVEE) and poly 1-decene (P-1-D), are tested as direct thickeners for CO2 and their detailed effects on the mutual interactions between a light crude oil and polymer-thickened CO2 are experimentally studied under different reservoir pressures. More specifically, the polymer cloud-point pressures are measured at different known polymer solubilities in supercritical CO2. The equilibrium interfacial tensions (IFTs) and onset pressures of quick polymer dissolution into CO2 are measured for the polymer−pure CO2 systems. The polymer-swelling effect due to pure CO2 dissolution is observed and examined. To study the mutual interactions between the light crude oil and polymer-thickened CO2, their equilibrium IFTs are measured and their so-called minimum miscibility pressures (MMPs) and onset pressures of the initial quick light-hydrocarbons extraction by CO2 are determined. The oil-swelling effect due to polymer-thickened CO2 dissolution is also visualized and analyzed. All the experimental data for polymer-thickened CO2 are compared with those for pure CO2.

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Acknowledgments

The authors want to acknowledge the discovery grant and collaborative research and development (CRD) grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada and an industrial R&D fund from the PennWest Exploration to Dr. Yongan Gu. The authors want to thank Mr. Andrew Seto and Ms. Suzy Chen from the PennWest Exploration for their technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC), Petroleum Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2, Canada

    Yongan Gu & Shiyang Zhang

  2. College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, 434023, People’s Republic of China

    Yuehui She

Authors
  1. Yongan Gu
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  2. Shiyang Zhang
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  3. Yuehui She
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Correspondence to Yongan Gu.

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Gu, Y., Zhang, S. & She, Y. Effects of polymers as direct CO2 thickeners on the mutual interactions between a light crude oil and CO2 . J Polym Res 20, 61 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-012-0061-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-012-0061-9

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