Maraflood process--a new oil recovery method

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1968 · Prod. Mon.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6080008

Davis, Jr, J A

Recently, Marathon Oil Co. proposed the ''Maraflood Process,'' which is a new technique for the secondary and tertiary recovery of oil. It combines the desirable features of waterflooding (favorable areal sweep) and of miscible displacement (100% oil displacement). Use of polymers further serves to improve the mobility ratio. The solutions can be designed to have virtually any viscosity. The micellar solutions, or micromulsions used as solvent in the Maraflood process are, basically, surfactant stabilized dispersions of water in oil. These micellar solutions are made up of 3 or more components--a hydrocarbon, which may be straight-run gasoline, kerosine, liquid petroleum gas, a refined cut, or a crude oil; a suitable surfactant; and water. In addition, a cosurfactant (a typical example being isopropyl alcohol) and salt may be added to provide increased flexibility with regard to mobility control.

• OSTI ID: 6080008
• Journal Information: Prod. Mon.; (United States), Journal Name: Prod. Mon.; (United States) Vol. 32:2; ISSN PROMA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALCOHOLS
CONTROL
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASOLINE
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KEROSENE
LIQUID FUELS
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
MOBILITY
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLYMERS
RECOVERY
STIMULATION
SURFACTANTS
VISCOSITY
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS