Permeability restoration of damaged formations

Patent · Tue Jun 16 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6310963

Sydansk, R D

This patent describes a process for improving oil recovery from a subterranean oil-bearing sandstone formation penetrated by a wellbore. The formation has a reduced permeability resulting from an encroaching fluid, comprising the steps of: injecting a first damage-reversing treatment solution consisting essentially of at least one monovalent cationic salt and a solvent for the salt into the wellbore; displacing the first treatment solution into the formation; contacting the formation with the first treatment solution in a manner to restore an increased permeability to the formation; injecting a second stabilizing treatment solution having a hydroxide-containing compound dissolved into the wellbore; displacing the second treatment solution into the formation contacted by the first treatment solution; contacting the formation with the second treatment solution to substantially maintain the increased permeability of the formation by substantially reducing the susceptibility to future permeability reduction from the encroaching fluid; and recovering oil from the oil-bearing formation having the increased permeability.

• Assignee: Marathon Oil Co., Findlay, OH
• Patent Number(s): US 4673040
• OSTI ID: 6310963
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ADDITIVES
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
DISSOLUTION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FORMATION DAMAGE
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
OIL WELLS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SOLVENTS
STABILIZATION
STIMULATION
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS