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Rheological properties and swelling behavior of nanocomposite preformed particle gels based on starch-graft-polyacrylamide loaded with nanosilica

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Abstract

Gel treatment using preformed particle gels is a technique applied in mature reservoirs to control excess water production. In this study, a novel nanocomposite gel was proposed and optimized for better performance in high-salinity and high-temperature conditions of oilfields. Gels were prepared by grafting copolymerization of crosslinked polyacrylamide onto starch (starch-g-CPAM) and loaded with silica nanoparticles. Different tests were performed on nanocomposite prepared particle gels (NCPPGs) to investigate the effect of silica content (2–10 wt%), temperature, and brine concentration on network structure, swelling, and mechanical behavior of the gels. The NCPPG with 5 wt% showed a superior swelling ratio. Rheological studies depicted that nanosilica could increase the mechanical strength of the NCPPGS in high temperature and high salinity brines (90 °C and 225,000 ppm) up to 900 Pa. Finally, loading nanosilica up to 5 wt. % into the NCPPG resulted in capable mechanical stability and water uptake under harsh conditions.

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Abbreviations

NCPPG:

Nanocomposite preformed particle gel

AM:

Acrylamide

MBA:

N,N-methylene bisacrylamide

APS:

Ammonium persulfate

NaCl:

Sodium chloride

DI:

Deionized

Fw:

Formation water

Sw:

Sea water

S.R (v/v):

Swelling ratio

Vs (ml):

Volume of swollen gel

Vd (ml):

Volume of dry gel

γ(%):

Shear strain

ω (Rad/s):

Angular frequency

G′ (Pa):

Storage modulus

G″ (Pa):

Loss modulus

tan (δ):

Loss factor

η* (Pa.s):

Complex viscosity

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Shiraz University, 71348-51154, Shiraz, Iran

    Shima Baloochestanzadeh & Shadi Hassanajili

  2. Department of Petroleum Engineering, School of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Shiraz University, 71348-51154, Shiraz, Iran

    Mehdi Escrochi

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  1. Shima Baloochestanzadeh
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  2. Shadi Hassanajili
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  3. Mehdi Escrochi
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Correspondence to Shadi Hassanajili.

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Baloochestanzadeh, S., Hassanajili, S. & Escrochi, M. Rheological properties and swelling behavior of nanocomposite preformed particle gels based on starch-graft-polyacrylamide loaded with nanosilica. Rheol Acta 60, 571–585 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-021-01287-z

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