Figure 10
From: A comprehensive review of viscoelastic polymer flooding in sandstone and carbonate rocks
Various mechanisms mobilizing the trapped oil by viscoelastic polymers: (1) the viscoelastic polymers "pull" the oil droplet entrapped in the narrow pores by capillary forces, (2) the oil film adsorbed on the rock surfaces is "stripped off" by viscoelastic polymers, (3) the oil accumulated in stagnant pockets is also "pulled" by viscoelastic polymers, (4) the mobilized oil droplets are dragged to the flow channels in the form of oil threads gradually forming an oil bank.
