Polymeric tracers

A method of tracing fluid flow in a subterranean formation, comprising:

• providing a polymeric tracer to an injector well in the subterranean formation to flow through the subterranean formation from the injector well to a producer well in the subterranean formation to assess presence of a subterranean flow pathway between the injector well and the producer well, wherein the polymeric tracer comprises a polymeric core and a protective polymeric layer on the polymeric core;
• protecting the polymeric core in reservoir conditions of the subterranean formation via the protective polymeric layer, for collection of the polymeric tracer comprising the protective polymeric layer and the polymeric core from the subterranean formation;
• collecting an aqueous sample from the producer well;
• removing water from the aqueous sample to yield a dehydrated sample;
• pyrolyzing the dehydrated sample to yield a gaseous sample;
• and
• detecting a pyrolization product of the polymeric core in the gaseous sample, wherein presence of the pyrolization product in the gaseous sample is indicative of presence of the polymeric tracer, comprising the protective polymeric layer and the polymeric core, in the aqueous sample, and wherein the presence of the polymeric tracer in the aqueous sample is indicative of the presence of the subterranean flow pathway between the injector well and the producer well.

A method of tracing fluid flow in a subterranean formation, comprising:

• assessing presence of a subterranean flow pathway through the subterranean formation from an injector well to a producer well, the assessing comprising:
• providing a polymeric tracer comprising a polymer nanoparticle having a polymeric core surrounded by a protective polymeric layer to the injector well to assess the presence of the subterranean flow pathway through the subterranean formation from the injector well to the producer well;
• preserving the polymeric core in reservoir conditions in the subterranean formation via the protective polymeric layer, for collection of the polymeric tracer comprising the protective polymeric layer and the polymeric core from the subterranean formation;
• collecting an aqueous sample from the producer well;
• removing water from the aqueous sample to yield a dehydrated sample;
• pyrolyzing the dehydrated sample to yield a gaseous sample;
• and
• assessing presence of a pyrolization product of the polymeric core in the gaseous sample, wherein the presence of the pyrolization product in the gaseous sample is indicative of presence of the polymeric tracer, comprising the protective polymeric layer and the polymeric core, in the aqueous sample, and wherein the presence of the polymeric tracer in the aqueous sample is indicative of the presence of the subterranean flow pathway between the injector well and the producer well.