The Potential of Crab Chitosan Polymer as EOR Injection Fluid

Abstract

The abundant availability of crab shell waste in Indonesia is still not optimally utilized. Crab shell contains chitin that can be processed into chitosan. Chitosan polymer can be developed to be utilized on Enhanced Oil Recovery. The objective of this study is to measure the amount of biopolymer adsorption potential of crab shell on sandstone both statically and dynamically, in order to obtain oil recovery potential by using crab shell chitosan as injection fluid. Method of this study is categorized as experimental research through direct observation inside a laboratory. The utilized biopolymer in this research was chitosan made from crab shell. Biopolymer solution concentrations in this research are 5,000, 10,000, and 15,000 mg/L and the formation water salinity levels were at 10,000 and 20,000 mg/L. The research was conducted by using variations of formation water compounds namely NaCl and MgCl2. The research conducted consists of viscosity, transmittance, and adsorption measurements on biopolymer and water formation salinity concentrations. The sand pack flooding was conducted to observe oil displacement by selected formation water and chitosan solution. After conducted viscosity test, solution with the highest viscosity levels were chosen as driving fluid in sand pack flooding. The solutions are N2R3 samples which are crab shell chitosan solution with formation water containing NaCl with salinity level 20,000 mg/L and chitosan concentration of 15,000 mg/L. The viscosity value of the sample was at 1728.67 cP. Conclusion: Crab chitosan with 15,000 mg/L concentration, 20,000 mg/L salinity, and viscosity value of 1728.67 cp can be optimally utilized in sand pack flooding by providing incremental recovery factor of 10.27%.