Programmed gelation of polymers using melamine resins
This patent describes a process for enhancing the amount of oil recovered from a subterranean oil-bearing formation having relatively high permeability zones and relatively low permeability zones penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well by selectively plugging at least a portion of the relatively high permeability zones with a profile control gel. It comprises: determining a quantity of a gel-forming mixture required for the selective plugging of at least a portion of the relatively high permeability zones within the formation and the period of time within which full gelation of the mixture is to be completed; preparing a gel-forming mixture comprising a polymer which is crosslinkable by reaction with an amino resin, a rapid amino resin crosslinking agent and a delayed amino resin crosslinking agent, the gel-forming mixture capable of complete gelation within the period of time determined; partially gelling the mixture to impart selectivity to the mixture by reacting the polymer with the rapid amino resin crosslinking agent which is effective to complete the partial gelation by crosslinking the polymer to form a viscous liquid; injecting the viscous liquid into the relatively high permeability zones within the formation; fully gelling the viscous liquid by reacting the polymer with the delayed amino resin crosslinking agent which is effective to complete the full gelation by crosslinking the polymer within the period of time determined; injecting a flooding fluid into the relatively low permeability zones of the formation via the injection well; and recovering fluids including oil from the formation via the production well.
- Assignee:
- Mobil Oil Corp., Fairfax, VA (USA)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4964461; A
- Application Number:
- PPN: US s 7-431419
- OSTI ID:
- 6410875
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GELS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PERMEABILITY
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLYMERS
RECOVERY
RESINS
STIMULATION
SWEEP EFFICIENCY
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
WELL STIMULATION