Core Applications of Polyacrylamide (PAM) Dry Powder and Emulsion in the Oilfield Industry

I. Oilfield Applications of Dry Powder PAM

1. Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR): 

Used in polymer flooding/composite flooding, it increases the viscosity of injected water after dissolution, improves the oil-water mobility ratio, expands the swept volume, and is suitable for medium-to-high permeability reservoirs. Anionic type is commonly used.

2. Drilling Fluid Treatment Agent: 

As a flocculant/coating agent, it inhibits shale hydration and swelling, reduces drilling fluid filtration loss, and improves wellbore stability. Anionic type is commonly used.

3. Oil and Gas Production Water Treatment: 

Used for treating oily wastewater from produced water, flocculating and separating oil droplets and suspended solids for subsequent reinjection or discharge. Anionic type is suitable for oily wastewater, and cationic type is suitable for high-turbidity wastewater.

II. Oilfield Applications of Emulsion PAM

1.Fracturing Fluid Additive:

Easily soluble, quick to prepare, used as a fracturing fluid thickener and proppant carrier, improving fracturing fluid viscosity and proppant carrying capacity. Suitable for fracturing low-permeability reservoirs such as shale gas and tight oil. Anionic type is commonly used.

2. Oil and Water Well Profile Modification and Water Shutoff: 

Emulsion PAM has good dispersibility and can quickly react with crosslinking agents to form a gel, sealing high-permeability channels and adjusting the water absorption profile. Suitable for near-wellbore water shutoff and deep profile modification.

3. Rapid Operation Scenarios: 

For scenarios requiring rapid liquid preparation, such as emergency wastewater treatment and temporary profile modification, emulsion PAM does not require long-term stirring for dissolution, and its liquid preparation efficiency is 3-5 times higher than that of dry powder. It also produces less dust, resulting in a more environmentally friendly construction environment.