Method of controlling permeability damage of hydrocarbon formations during steam injection while preventing pipe corrosion

Patent · Tue Feb 07 04:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:6314311

Hsueh, L; Reed, M G

A method is described for inhibiting permeability damage of a hydrocarbon formation containing clay minerals in the vicinity of a well penetrating the formation, comprising: (a) injecting a wet steam including an amount of ammonium ions to produce an ammonium ion concentration in the vapor phase condensate of the wet steam effective to inhibit the permeability damage of the formation in the vicinity of the vapor phase, and an amount of a bicarbonate salt of the alkali metals, or mixtures thereof, effective to raise the pH of the liquid phase of the wet team to within the range of from about 8.5 to about 9.5; and an amount of potassium salt in the liquid phase of the wet steam effective to inhibit permeability damage of the formation in the vicinity of the liquid phase of the wet steam; and (b) monitoring the pH of the residual liquid phase and continually adjusting the addition of the bicarbonate salt to maintain the pH within the range of from about 9.5 to about 9.5.

• Assignee: Chevron Research Co., San Francisco, CA
• Patent Number(s): US 4802533
• OSTI ID: 6314311
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ACID CARBONATES
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
CLAYS
CORROSION PROTECTION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EQUIPMENT
FIELD PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FORMATION DAMAGE
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
OIL WELLS
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM
PH VALUE
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
QUANTITY RATIO
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS
STEAM INJECTION
STIMULATION
THERMAL RECOVERY
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS
WORKING FLUIDS