High-Temperature-Resistant Profile Control System Formed by Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide and Water-Soluble Phenol-Formaldehyde Resin

Abstract

To realize the effective profile control of a heavy oil reservoir, hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and water-soluble phenol-formaldehyde resin (PR) were chosen to prepare the profile control system, which gelled at medium or low temperatures and existed stably at high temperatures in the meantime. The effects of phenolic ratios, PR concentration, and HPAM concentration on the formation and strength of the gels were systematically studied by the gel-strength code method and rheological measurements. And the microstructure of the gels was investigated by scanning electron microscope measurements. The results showed that the gelling time of the HPAM-PR system was 13 h at 70 °C. The formed gel could stay stable for 90 days at 140 °C. In addition, the gels showed viscoelastic properties, and the viscosity reached 18,000 mPa·s under a 1.5 s−1 shearing rate due to their three-dimensional cellular network structure. The formation of the gels was attributable to the hydroxyl groups of the PR crosslinking agent, which could undergo the dehydration condensation reaction with amide groups under non-acidic conditions and form intermolecular crosslinking with HPAM molecules. And the organic crosslinker gel system could maintain stability at higher temperatures because covalent bonds formed between molecules.