Dilute iota- and kappa-Carrageenan solutions with high viscosities in high salinity brines

Stefan Iglauer; Yongfu Wu; Patrick Shuler; Yongchun Tang; William A. Goddard

doi:10.1016/j.petrol.2010.11.025

Dilute iota- and kappa-Carrageenan solutions with high viscosities in high salinity brines

Stefan Iglauer
, Yongfu Wu
, Patrick Shuler
, Yongchun Tang
, William A. Goddard

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We evaluated the rheological characteristics of ι- and κ-Carrageenan in aqueous solutions. Viscosities strongly increased with increasing polymer concentration or salinity. Monovalent Na⁺ cations were more effective in increasing viscosity than divalent Ca²⁺ cations. A more complex brine containing Na⁺, Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ cations also showed high viscosities at a high salinity. We observed shear thinning behavior for these polysaccharide solutions. We explain these rheological phenomena with molecular processes, specifically the conformation change of the ι-Carrageenan from random coil to double helix. In the context of enhanced oil recovery, ι-Carrageenan solutions can reach much higher viscosities at high salinities than standard polyacrylamide solutions. Moreover, Carrageenans are renewable, nontoxic, green substances.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	304-311
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering
Volume	75
Issue number	3-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2010.11.025
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2011
Externally published	Yes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Fracturing fluid
Gelling mechanism
High salinity
Mobility control
Near-wellbore fluid
Polymer solution
Rheology
Shear thinning
ι- and κ-Carrageenan

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10.1016/j.petrol.2010.11.025

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title = "Dilute iota- and kappa-Carrageenan solutions with high viscosities in high salinity brines",

abstract = "We evaluated the rheological characteristics of ι- and κ-Carrageenan in aqueous solutions. Viscosities strongly increased with increasing polymer concentration or salinity. Monovalent Na+ cations were more effective in increasing viscosity than divalent Ca2+ cations. A more complex brine containing Na+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ cations also showed high viscosities at a high salinity. We observed shear thinning behavior for these polysaccharide solutions. We explain these rheological phenomena with molecular processes, specifically the conformation change of the ι-Carrageenan from random coil to double helix. In the context of enhanced oil recovery, ι-Carrageenan solutions can reach much higher viscosities at high salinities than standard polyacrylamide solutions. Moreover, Carrageenans are renewable, nontoxic, green substances.",

keywords = "Fracturing fluid, Gelling mechanism, High salinity, Mobility control, Near-wellbore fluid, Polymer solution, Rheology, Shear thinning, ι- and κ-Carrageenan",

author = "Stefan Iglauer and Yongfu Wu and Patrick Shuler and Yongchun Tang and Goddard, \{William A.\}",

year = "2011",

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doi = "10.1016/j.petrol.2010.11.025",

language = "English",

volume = "75",

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journal = "Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering",

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T1 - Dilute iota- and kappa-Carrageenan solutions with high viscosities in high salinity brines

AU - Iglauer, Stefan

AU - Wu, Yongfu

AU - Shuler, Patrick

AU - Tang, Yongchun

AU - Goddard, William A.

PY - 2011/1/1

Y1 - 2011/1/1

N2 - We evaluated the rheological characteristics of ι- and κ-Carrageenan in aqueous solutions. Viscosities strongly increased with increasing polymer concentration or salinity. Monovalent Na+ cations were more effective in increasing viscosity than divalent Ca2+ cations. A more complex brine containing Na+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ cations also showed high viscosities at a high salinity. We observed shear thinning behavior for these polysaccharide solutions. We explain these rheological phenomena with molecular processes, specifically the conformation change of the ι-Carrageenan from random coil to double helix. In the context of enhanced oil recovery, ι-Carrageenan solutions can reach much higher viscosities at high salinities than standard polyacrylamide solutions. Moreover, Carrageenans are renewable, nontoxic, green substances.

AB - We evaluated the rheological characteristics of ι- and κ-Carrageenan in aqueous solutions. Viscosities strongly increased with increasing polymer concentration or salinity. Monovalent Na+ cations were more effective in increasing viscosity than divalent Ca2+ cations. A more complex brine containing Na+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ cations also showed high viscosities at a high salinity. We observed shear thinning behavior for these polysaccharide solutions. We explain these rheological phenomena with molecular processes, specifically the conformation change of the ι-Carrageenan from random coil to double helix. In the context of enhanced oil recovery, ι-Carrageenan solutions can reach much higher viscosities at high salinities than standard polyacrylamide solutions. Moreover, Carrageenans are renewable, nontoxic, green substances.

KW - Fracturing fluid

KW - Gelling mechanism

KW - High salinity

KW - Mobility control

KW - Near-wellbore fluid

KW - Polymer solution

KW - Rheology

KW - Shear thinning

KW - ι- and κ-Carrageenan

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/78650591505

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DO - 10.1016/j.petrol.2010.11.025

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:78650591505

SN - 0920-4105

VL - 75

SP - 304

EP - 311

JO - Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

JF - Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

IS - 3-4

ER -

Dilute iota- and kappa-Carrageenan solutions with high viscosities in high salinity brines

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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