Delayed gelation in corefloods using Cr(III)-malonate as a crosslinker

Flow experiments have been conducted using a hydrolysed polyacrylamide (HPAM) or an acrylamide-AMPS copolymer crosslinked with chromium malonate. Retention of the chemicals prior to gelation has been studied at different temperatures and injection rates. The retention of the polymer was independent of the crosslinker concentration. The two polymers gave different results; the acrylamide-AMPS copolymer showed very low retention; the HPAM gave quite high retention values. temperatures, malonate with a ratio 1:3 (CrMa3) and 1:4 (CrMa4) protected the chromium against precipitation in Berea cores. At high temperatures, chromium precipitation was observed; retention increased with decreasing injection rate. An excess of malonate has some protecting effects on retention. Reducing the initial pH from 7 to 5 lowered the retention. In quartz sand and Bentheim sandstone the retention of CrMa3 was very low even at high temperatures; no precipitation was observed before gelation. After a shut-in period, gel formed at pH less than 7 in the sand and the Bentheim cores. However, no gel formed in the Berea cores.