Secondary recovery of oil by partially miscible phase displacement

Patent · Tue Oct 10 04:00:00 EDT 1967

OSTI ID:6437427

Boston, W G

In a method for injection of a displacing fluid to recover oil from a subterranean formation, the formation is in a state of free gas saturation and the displacing fluid is, at the conditions within the formation, gaseous and only partially miscible with the oil. The method involves introducing into the formation, prior to the displacing fluid, a hydrocarbon liquid which is undersaturated relative to the free gas in the formation and miscible with the oil in the formation. This liquid, which may be crude oil, liquefied petroleum gas, naphtha, or kerosine, is introduced in a quantity sufficient only to prevent flow of the displacing fluid through the passages in the formation occupied by the free gas and less than the quantity which will pass entirely through the formation. Typical displacing fluid are carbon dioxide and enriched hydrocarbon gas. (8 claims)

• Assignee: Mobile Oil Corp.
• Patent Number(s): US 3346046
• OSTI ID: 6437427
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CARBON DIOXIDE INJECTION
COAL TAR OILS
DISTILLATES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
KEROSENE
LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GASES
LIQUID FUELS
LIQUIDS
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
NAPHTHA
NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS
OIL WELLS
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DISTILLATES
PETROLEUM FRACTIONS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
RECOVERY
STIMULATION
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS