Since the commissioning of the project on polymer flooding, carried out at Marmul field in February 2010, the growth of the volume of recoverable oil increased up to 1 mln cubic meters. 

The important indicator was fixed late in November while operating 27 water injection and 150 recovery wells. 

According to Technical Manager of the South Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Salim al-Sikaiti, achievement of such progress is an important step on the way toward success of this project and scheduled expansion of polymeric flooding application at Marmul and other fields of the PDO (Petroleum Development of Oman) company. 

Expertise and know-how gained during the implementation of this pilot project are being applied in other experimental projects on use of polymers in the south as well as on other fields of PDO. 

General principle of polymer flooding is to increase viscosity of injected water by adding soluble polymer, which enables to increase the volume of heavy oil production out of oil-bearing formation. Special equipment designed for producing water, possessing certain qualities, required for simplification of the polymer injection, was installed at Marmul field in order to obtain necessary indicators.   

Apart from this, a special unit designed for preparation of blend and injection of certain viscosity polymer was projected and assembled. 

This project has already covered expenses and currently provides substantial profits when injecting any volumes of polymer. Oil production rate is maintained on high level owing to far-seeing planning and active regulation of development of wells and fields as well as intensive use of innovative technologies for operation inspection. 

The head of Marmul-RTQ (Rahab/Thuleilat/Qaharir) Hisham Al Siabi said: “Our current level is the result of close cooperation between the team of professionals involved in the development of the field, and their colleagues, who develop chemical substances using technologies, issues of exploitation and analysis of the chemical composition of produced oil”.

Though the Marmul polymer flooding project is one of the most large-scale projects in the region, it should be developed in accordance with PDO company’s interests that target further application of the enhanced oil recovery methods (EORM) in oil production. The second stage of the project is currently in process, which envisages commissioning of 19 additional injection wells, involving the existing polymer production facilities. 

Also, the company plans a polymer flooding of the entire field within the framework of a larger project, using infill drilling with a denser well spacing pattern. The oil production start is scheduled for the year of 2022.