Selective penetration of biopolymer profile-control gels: Experiment and model

Profile control treatments using polymer gels can improve waterflood performance by reducing fluid channeling through higher-permeability "thief" zones. The success of such treatments often depends on placing the gel preferentially in the thief interval. Laboratory coreflood data presented in this work clearly shows that certain xanthanbased profile control gels exhibit tbe property of "selective penetration." Selective gels flow preferentially into higher-permeability media and resist penetration into tighter media. These gels could tbereforeeliminate the need for mechanical zone isolation and thus reduce the cost of profile control treattnents significantly.