Stabilizing water-sensitive clays in an underground formation

Patent · Tue Jan 27 04:00:00 EST 1970

OSTI ID:5001670

Braden, Jr, W B

One of the more serious problems encountered in secondary recovery operations with water or steam-flooding procedures is that the underground hydrocarbon-bearing formation also contains clay or clay-like bodies which exhibit a tendency to swell or disperse on contact with water. Treatment of such a formation with water or low quality steam generally results in swelling of the clays by adsorption of the water with the concomitant result that the water permeability of the formation is materially decreased. The decrease in the water permeability in the formation limits the amount of hydrocarbons which may be recovered by means of the secondary recovery procedures. A method for increasing the permeability of a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation by thermal means. Exposure of the formation to temperatures in excess of 1,600$F produces substantial increases in the permeability of the formation, thereby enabling the recovery of hydrocarbon materials from a formation that was previously impermeable and relatively nonproductive. (3 claims)

• Assignee: Texaco Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 3491833
• OSTI ID: 5001670
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
BOREHOLES
CAVITIES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLAYS
COMBUSTION
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
OIL WELLS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERMEABILITY
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
STABILIZATION
STEAM
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SWELLING
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
WATER
WATERFLOODING
WELLS