Synthesis and evaluation of a novel hydrophobically associating polymer based on acrylamide for enhanced oil recovery

A novel polymerizable hydrophobic monomer 1-(4-dodecyloxy-phenyl)-propenone (DPP) was synthesized by esterification, Frise rearrangement and Williamson etherification; then, the obtained DPP was copolymerized with 2-(acrylamido)-dodecanesulfonic acid (AMC 12 S) and acrylamide (AM) initiated by a redox initiation system in an aqueous medium to enhance oil recovery (EOR). AM/AMC 12 S/DPP (PADP) was characterized by FT-IR 1 H NMR spectroscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), DSC-TG, fluorescent probe, core flood test, etc. Results of ESEM and fluorescent probe indicate that hydrophobic microdomains and associating three-dimensional networks were formed in the aqueous solution of PADP. Results of DSC-TG demonstrated that long carbon chains, aromatic groups and sulfonic groups were incorporated into the PADP polymer, which can lead to a significant increase of the rigidity of molecular chains. Performance evaluation of experiments showed superior properties in regard to temperature-tolerance, shear-tolerance and salt-tolerance. In the Sandpack Flooding Test, PADP brine solution showed a significant increase in EOR at 65°C because of its high thickening capability. All these features indicate that PADP has a potential application in EOR at harsh conditions.