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Title: Enhanced oil recovery process using a hydrophobic associative composition containing a hydrophilic/hydrophobic polymer

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6114271

An enhanced oil recovery process is described, which comprises forcing an aqueous flooding medium from an injection well through a subterranean formation toward a producing well wherein the flooding medium contains a mobility control agent which is soluble in an aqueous flooding medium. The agent consists of a hydrophilic/hydrophobic polymer having hydrophobic moieties and a water-dispersible, nonionic surfactant having hydrophobic groups that are capable of associating with the hydrophobic moieties of the polymer wherein the proportion of the polymer and the surfactant is such that, at ambient conditions, water containing 0.5 weight percent of the agent has a viscosity at least twice the viscosity of water. The agent is prepared by carrying out the polymerization to form the polymer in the presence of the nonionic surfactant, the ratio of the surfactant to the polymer in the agent being sufficient to provide a viscosity at least twice that of an aqueous solution containing only the polymer, the hydrophobic polymer being a copolymer of a hydrophilic/water-soluble monomer and a water-insoluble monomer selected from the group consisting of higher alkyl ester of ..cap alpha..,..beta..-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids wherein alkyl has from 8 to 20 carbons, alkylaryl esters of ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids, N-alkylethylenically unsaturated amides wherein alkyl has from 8 to 20 carbon atoms; vinyl alkylates wherein alkyl has at least 8 carbons and ar-alkyl styrenes wherein alkyl has at least 4 carbons.

Assignee:
Dow Chemical Co., Midland, MI
Patent Number(s):
US 4814096
OSTI ID:
6114271
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: Filed date 1 Aug 1983
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English