Synthesis and Evaluation of Xanthan - G - Poly (Acrylamide) Co - Polymer for Enhanced Oil Recovery Applications

Xanthan is a natural biopolymer, which grafted with vinyl monomers through typical free radical initiation and applied in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques. Application of xanthan in oil reservoirs suffer from microbial and thermal degradation under harsh petroleum reservoir conditions. In this research, xanthan graf ted with poly (acrylamide) polymer in the presence of potassium per sulfate as a water - soluble initiator. Structure determination occurs by different spectroscopic techniques involving (FTIR) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H - NMR). Assessment of polymer solution rheology occurs as a function of mechanical, chemical and thermal degradation at simulated reservoir conditions. Flooding tests carried out through unconsolidated sand packed model.