Micellar flooding process for heterogeneous reservoirs

Patent · Tue Feb 20 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6885691

Holm, L W

A process is described for recovering oil from a heterogeneous subterranean reservoir having strata of widely varying permeability. There is injected into the reservoir via a well a slug of a micellar solution followed by an aqueous dirve fluid. At some time prior to the injection to all of the slug of the micellar solution, there is injected into the reservoir one or more aqueous solutions of reagent that react in the reservoir to form a plugging material. One of the reagents contains a polyvalent cation. After the plugging material has formed, the well is produced to remove from the reservoir the unreacted reagent containing the polyvalent cation, which polyvalent cation would otherwise react with and reduce the efficiency of the subsequently injected micellar solution. 25 claims.

• Assignee: Union Oil Co. California
• Patent Number(s): US 4140183
• OSTI ID: 6885691
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EMULSIONS
ENCAPSULATION
FLUID INJECTION
MICELLAR SYSTEMS
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
MICROEMULSIONS
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
MIXTURES
OIL WELLS
PLUGGING AGENTS
REAGENTS
SOLUTIONS
STIMULATION
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS