Method of enhanced oil recovery employing nitrogen injection

Patent · Tue Mar 06 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6639475

Morel, T J; Haynes, S Jr; Park, J H

Disclosed is a process for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir by miscible displacement using a predominantly nitrogen-containing gaseous displacing fluid which may contain lesser quantities of carbon dioxide. The miscibility of the first portion of the gaseous displacing phase injected into the formation is greater than the miscibility of the subsequent portion, as a consequence of increased concentrations of carbon dioxide and/or normally liquid hydrocarbons for the purpose of decreasing the time and distance which the gaseous nitrogen-containing displacing fluid must travel into the reservoir before attaining a conditionally miscible transition zone at reservoir conditions of temperature and pressure. The concentration of carbon dioxide and/or normally liquid hydrocarbons may be decreased in a reverse taper function, after which essentially pure nitrogen or nitrogen containing only minimal amounts of more soluble components may be injected into the formation.

• Assignee: Texaco Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4434852
• OSTI ID: 6639475
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
DISTANCE
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS INJECTION
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
QUANTITY RATIO
RECOMMENDATIONS
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
RESERVOIR TEMPERATURE
STIMULATION
SWEEP EFFICIENCY
TIME DEPENDENCE
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS