Synthesis, characterization and evaluation of long-acting hyperbranched cationic polymer clay stabilizer used in water flooding

In the process of waterflooding development, it is of great importance to prevent the clay from hydration swelling and migration dispersion for protecting the formation and improving the water flooding efficiency. For those reasons, we successfully synthesized a cationic clay stabilizer (HBP-QAT) through melting polycondensation and cationic modification with maleic anhydride, diethanolamine, epichlorohydrin, triethylamine, and trimethylolpropane as monomers and p-toluene sulfonic acid as a catalyst. The chemical structure, cation degree, and molecular weight of HBP-QAT were studied by using FTIR, H-1 NMR, sodium tetraphenylborate (STBP) back titration, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The obtained results showed that HBP-QAT was a hyperbranched unsaturated polyester amide with a low molecular weight and a high cation degree, with corresponding values of 28400, and 44.2%, respectively. The clay stability and durability of HBP-QAT were evaluated by linear anti-swelling, water flushing, and cutting rolling recovery tests. The obtained results showed that HBP-QAT has an excellent anti-washing capacity and a long-term inhibition effect. The initial anti-swelling rate of 1.0 wt% HBP-QAT reached 92.37%, and the anti-swelling rate of 1.0 wt% HBP-QAT also remained at 85% after flushing 10 times with water. Besides, the two cutting rolling recoveries exceed 72%. Most importantly, the inhibition mechanism of HBP-QAT was studied by zeta potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and contact angles analyses, and thus we proposed an inhibition mechanism, presenting as follows. HBP-QAT inhibited the clay hydration swelling by neutralizing negative charges on the surface of the clay particles to compress the electric double layer, strongly adsorbing on the surface of the clay particles, and forming a waterproof polymer membranes, restraining water of intrusion into the clay interlayer.