Experimental Study on the Impact of Polymer (PAM) in Enhancing Oil Recovery in Upper Assam Basin Oil fields

Year : 2025 | Volume : 13 | Issue : 06 | Page : 283 296
    By

    Joyshree Barman,

  • Bhaskar Jyoti Saikia,

  • Ranjan Phukan,

  • Gauri Sankar Bora,

  1. Research Scholar, Department of Petroleum Engineering, Dibrugarh University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dibrugarh University, Assam, India
  2. Assistant Professor, Department of Petroleum Engineering, Dibrugarh University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dibrugarh University, Assam, India
  3. Associate Professor, Department of Petroleum Technology, Dibrugarh University, Assam, India
  4. Research Scholar, Department of Petroleum Technology, Dibrugarh University, Assam, India

Abstract

The Upper Assam Basin, one of India’s most mature and extensively exploited hydrocarbon provinces, is experiencing declining oil production due to reservoir depletion and unfavorable crude oil–brine–rock (COBR) interactions. In this context, alkali–polymer (AP) flooding has emerged as a promising chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) strategy. AP flooding reduces interfacial tension (IFT) through in-situ surfactant generation by alkali and improves sweep efficiency via polymer-based mobility control, typically using polyacrylamide (PAM). This study evaluates the feasibility and performance of AP flooding in representative sandstone cores from the basin through laboratory experiments and numerical simulation. Rheological characterization using a coaxial cylinder viscometer confirmed that PAM exhibits shear-thinning behavior at higher concentrations, favorable for mobility control in heterogeneous reservoirs. Coreflooding experiments demonstrated encouraging results: Core-1 (porosity: 24.57%; air permeability: 99.56 mD; liquid permeability: 78.54 mD) yielded 52% incremental oil recovery with a polymer retention of 111 µg/g, while Core-2 (porosity: 22.13%; air permeability: 78.14 mD; liquid permeability: 54.73 mD) achieved 43% recovery with a higher polymer retention of 156 µg/g. IFT measurements showed significant reduction down to 0.096 mN/m for Core-1 and 0.112 mN/m for Core-2, while contact angle shifts toward water-wetness further validated improved displacement efficiency. Complementary XRD and FTIR analyses confirmed polymer–clay interactions with minimal structural alteration, supporting the stability of injected chemicals. Comparative injection scheme analyses and simulations reinforced the effectiveness of AP flooding under laboratory conditions. Despite potential field-scale challenges such as scaling and brine incompatibility, the findings establish AP flooding as a technically viable and effective EOR approach for mature oilfields of the Upper Assam Basin, with strong potential for pilot-scale implementation.

Keywords: Alkali – polymer flooding, Enhanced Oil Recovery, Non -Newtonian, Shear Thinning, Interfacial Tension.

[This article belongs to Journal of Polymer and Composites ]

How to cite this article:
Joyshree Barman, Bhaskar Jyoti Saikia, Ranjan Phukan, Gauri Sankar Bora. Experimental Study on the Impact of Polymer (PAM) in Enhancing Oil Recovery in Upper Assam Basin Oil fields. Journal of Polymer and Composites. 2025; 13(06):283-296.
How to cite this URL:
Joyshree Barman, Bhaskar Jyoti Saikia, Ranjan Phukan, Gauri Sankar Bora. Experimental Study on the Impact of Polymer (PAM) in Enhancing Oil Recovery in Upper Assam Basin Oil fields. Journal of Polymer and Composites. 2025; 13(06):283-296. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2025/view=233233


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Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 13
Issue 06
Received 12/07/2025
Accepted 30/08/2025
Published 23/10/2025
Publication Time 103 Days
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