Steam foam surfactants enriched in alpha olefin disulfonates for enhanced oil recovery

Patent · Tue Jul 16 00:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:5799380

Borchardt, J K; Lau, H C

This patent describes a process for recovering oil from a reservoir penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well. It comprises displacing through the reservoir a steam form-forming mixture of steam and an olefin sulfonate surfactant, the olefin sulfonate surfactant containing at least about 25 wt % olefin disulfonate wherein the olefin sulfonate surfactant is derived from olefins with carbon numbers in the range of about 16 to 28; and recovering displaced hydrocarbons from the production well. This patent also describes a process for recovering oil from a reservoir through the use of a single well, comprising: injecting into the reservoir a steam foam- forming mixture of steam and olefin sulfonate surfactant, the olefin sulfonate surfactant containing at least about 25 wt % olefin disulfonate wherein the olefin sulfonate surfactant is derived from olefins with carbon numbers in the range of about 16 to 28; and producing the steam foam-forming mixture and oil from the reservoir.

• Assignee: Shell Oil Co., Houston, TX (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5031698; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-533235
• OSTI ID: 5799380
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 4 Jun 1990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM
ENHANCED RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
FLUID INJECTION PROCESSES
STEAM INJECTION
ALKENES
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
FOAMS
INJECTION WELLS
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL WELLS
OPTIMIZATION
SULFONATES
SURFACTANTS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
RECOVERY
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production