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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Oil recovery method using dispersion of clays in aqueous polyacrylamide solutions

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6024652

Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides have been used as thickening agents to increase the viscosity of liquids, primarily displacing liquids for use in secondary petroleum recovery. Such polyacrylamides decrease the moblity of the displacing liquids to improve their efficiency in displacing oil-in-place from formations and moving the oil toward production wells. Decreasing the mobility of the displacing fluids minimizes fingering or channeling of the displacement fluids through the body of oil-in-place in the formation. Improved viscosity and resistance factors of aqueous solutions containing partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide are obtained by dispersing clay, e.g., sodium montmorillonite and phosphates in the solutions. The solutions are particularly useful as displacement fluids in the recovery of petroleum from earth formations. (10 claims)

Assignee:
Marathon Oil Co.
Patent Number(s):
US 3670820
OSTI ID:
6024652
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English