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

Forming foam under reservoir conditions in petroleum recovery process

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6159462
The efficiency of secondary-recovery processes can be improved by the formation in situ of a bank or banks of foam which are then driven through the formation. In the described methods, a surfactant, foaming agent or surface- active agent having foam-producing characteristics is injected into an injection well either by itself or in a vehicle in which the foam producing agent is miscible. Thereafter, a sufficient quantity of surfactant-free, non-gaseous liquid, miscible with the first injected material, is injected to move or displace the surfactant from the injection well, a distance to about 3 - 6% of the distance between the injection well and production well toward which the fluids are to be driven. Thereafter, a gas-drive is instituted and continued until a major portion of the initially injected materials is produced from the formation, or until the recovery of oil at one or more production wells becomes economically unattractive. (13 claims)
Assignee:
Union Oil Co. of California
Patent Number(s):
US 3318379
OSTI ID:
6159462
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English