High vertical and horizontal conformance thermal oil recovery process

Patent · Tue Nov 27 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:5230622

Wu, C H; Brown, A; Hall, W L; Shupe, R D

Thermal oil recovery processes employing the injection of steam and/or hot water for mobilizing viscous petroleum sweep only a small fraction of the formation between the wells because of override, underride, or channeling resulting in poor vertical conformance, as well as poor horizontal conformance of the swept portion of the formation. Both vertical and horizontal conformance are improved significantly if steam is injected into a formation until channeling has begun, after which steam injection is terminated and an aqueous fluid is injected into the formation, which has a viscosity essentially the same as water and contains an emulsifying agent capable of forming a viscous emulsion in the portions of the formation where override, underride or channeling has occurred. After a small slug of emulsifying fluid has been injected, steam injection is resumed and as a consequence of the emulsion plug, moves into portions of the formation from which oil would not be recovered if the emulsion had not been injected. Multiple cycles of steam and emulsion injection may be applied to a formation to more completely sweep the full volume of the pattern. Surfactants suitable for use include organic sulfonates such as petroleum sulfonate, and solubilizing co-surfactants such as alkyl or alkylarylpolyethoxyalkylene sulfonates. 3 figures.

• Assignee: Texaco Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4175618
• OSTI ID: 5230622
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CLOSURES
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EMULSIONS
ENERGY RECOVERY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEAT RECOVERY
HOT WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
STEAM INJECTION
SULFONATES
SURFACTANTS
WATER
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS