Implementation of Xanthan gum-polyacrylamide blend, surfactant, and alkali assembly for enhanced oil recovery: a rheological and phase behavior analyses approach

The present study highlights the possible utilization of the polymer blend of polyacrylamide and xanthan gum for an enhanced oil recovery application. A detailed investigation was carried out to examine the effect of alkali and high-performance surfactants on the polymer solution's rheological properties and emulsion stability characteristics. Besides, alteration in the flow characteristics of polymeric solutions corresponding to reservoir conditions was examined. The application of polymer blends in enhanced oil recovery seems to be promising based on the present study, it shows higher tolerance to salinity, temperature, alkali, and surfactant than parent polymers.