In polymer enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations, water-soluble polyacrylamide is currently used. Years of research have shown that polyacrylamide based polymers have the following drawbacks: poor shear stability, severe mechanical degradation during pumping, poor salt resistance, sensitivity to mineralized water, especially multivalent metal ions, resulting in a sharp decrease in viscosity in saline solutions, and even precipitation, as well as poor acid and temperature resistance. In the past 20 years, extensive modification work on polyacrylamide has been carried out both domestically and internationally. Philips Oil Company in the United States has developed a copolymer of AMPS and acrylamide for tertiary oil recovery, greatly improving the salt and temperature resistance of polyacrylamide.
In addition, the copolymers synthesized by AMPS are stable and have lubricating properties in high concentration proton acids, and can be used for acidizing and fracturing stimulation processes in oil and natural gas wells. At the same time, AMPS copolymers are used as thickening agents for fracturing fluids, and their performance is superior to the currently used guar gum products. They have advantages such as convenient use, suitable viscosity, high temperature resistance, and high shear strength.