Petroleum Science >2026, Issue9: 5757-5769 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petsci.2026.06.019
Thermally activated self-adhesive flexible granules for sealing fractures in high-temperature and high-salinity reservoirs: Synthesis, tunability, and performance evaluation Open Access
文章信息
作者:Yan Xue, Xiao-Feng Zhao, Qiu-Lu Yin, Jing-Yang Gu, Bing Wei, Jun Lu
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引用方式:Xue, Y., Zhao, X.F., Yin, Q.L., et al., 2026. Thermally activated self-adhesive flexible granules for sealing fractures in high-temperature and high-salinity reservoirs: Synthesis, tunability, and performance evaluation. Petrol. Sci. 23 (9), 5757–5769. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petsci.2026.06.019.
文章摘要
To overcome the limitations of conventional preformed particle gels in ultra-high-temperature and high-salinity fractured reservoirs, this study developed a novel self-adhesive flexible granule (SAFG). SAFG is synthesized through a two-step process involving the hydrophobic modification of polyvinyl alcohol, followed by chemical cross-linking with terephthalaldehyde, resulting in a stable granular structure. Comprehensive characterization confirmed the successful synthesis, tunable granule size controlled by stirring speed, and exceptional long-term thermal stability in high-salinity brine (2.1 × 105 mg/L, 130 °C for 180 d). Response surface methodology (RSM) optimization determined the optimal synthesis parameters, yielding granules with superior comprehensive performance. SAFG exhibits a unique, tunable self-adhesion mechanism activated by elevated temperature in high-salinity brine, transforming into a cohesive bulk gel. Core-flooding experiments demonstrated effective migration and dynamic plugging in simulated fractures (fracture widths of 0.5 and 1.0 mm), with optimal performance observed at injection rates of 1.5–2.5 mL/min and SAFG concentrations of 5.0 wt%. Critically, after thermally assisted adhesion aging, the adhered SAFG structure achieved a breakthrough pressure of 3080 kPa, approximately 6.3 times the initial stabilization pressure, confirming its robust sealing capability. This work demonstrates SAFG as a robust and tunable conformance control agent for extreme reservoir conditions, offering a viable solution to enhance oil recovery in challenging fractured formations.
关键词
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Fracture sealing; Self-adhesion; Response surface methodology; High-temperature and high-salinity reservoir