Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Treatment of steam feedwater with CO/sub 2/ to reduce oil well reservoir gravel and sand dissolution during steam injection

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5409200
A process of inhibiting the dissolution of the gravel pack and/or silicate containing hydrocarbon-bearing formation subjected to steam enhanced oil recovery stimulation is described comprising: creating steam, the steam comprises a vapor phase and a residual liquid phase; monitoring the pH of the residual liquid phase; injecting a sufficient amount of CO/sub 2/ gas into the residual liquid phase of the steam to reduce the pH of the residual liquid phase to from about pH 5 to about pH 9, and injecting the steam into the formation, wherein the reduced pH of the steam inhibits the dissolution of the gravel pack and/or silicate containing hydrocarbon-bearing formation.
Assignee:
Chevron Research Co., San Francisco, CA
Patent Number(s):
US 4719972
OSTI ID:
5409200
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English