High sweep efficiency steam drive oil recovery method

Patent · Tue Aug 26 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5247863

Weber, S L

A method is described for recovering oil from a subterranean, viscous oil-containing formation having a natural brine salinity concentration within the range of 10 to 20% by weight and penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one spaced-apart production well, the wells being in fluid communication with a substantial portion of the formation. The method consists of: (a) injecting steam into the formation and producing fluids including oil from the formation via the production well for a predetermined period of time, thereby forming a steam-swept zone in the formation; (b) thereafter injecting a mixture of steam, a noncondensible gas, and a surfactant consisting of a C/sub 12/ alpha olefin sulfonate into the formation via the injection well, the surfactant capable of forming a stable foam with residual oil in the steam-swept zone at formation conditions of temperature and salinity thereby significantly decreasing the permeability of that zone and diverting the steam, noncondensible gas, into other portions of the formation; and (c) continuing to inject the mixture of steam and surfactant and recovering fluids including oil from the formation via the production well.

• Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp., New York, NY
• Patent Number(s): US 4607695
• OSTI ID: 5247863
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALKENES
BRINES
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOAMS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
INJECTION WELLS
MIXTURES
OIL WELLS
OIL YIELDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM
PRODUCTION
QUANTITY RATIO
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR TEMPERATURE
SALINITY
STEAM INJECTION
STIMULATION
SURFACTANTS
SWEEP EFFICIENCY
TIME DEPENDENCE
VISCOSITY
WELL SPACING
WELL STIMULATION
WELL TEMPERATURE
WELLS
YIELDS