Oil recovery by increasing the injectivity index of micellar systems containing crude oil sulfonates

Patent · Tue Apr 03 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6910080

Jones, S C; Plummer, M A

Flooding hydrocarbon-bearing, subterranean formations with micellar systems containing crude oil sulfonates is improved by extracting wax from the micellar system before it is injected into the formation. The extraction is effected with an agent consisting essentially of paraffinic hydrocarbons or halocarbons having a molecular weight of approx. 50 to 200. Aromatic extraction agents are not generally useful since they tend to be solubilized in the micellar system and, under certain conditions, have caused reduced oil recovery. Some aromatics can be tolerated, i.e., less than about 20% of the extraction agent. Extraction can be effected on the final micellar system, i.e., a micellar solution or microemulsion, before it is injected into the formation. The extraction also can be performed on the neutralized sulfonic acid stream from the sulfonation process simultaneously with removal of unsulfonated crude oil. The resulting micellar system can be subjected to slow cool-down rates or fast cool-down rates without adversely affecting injectivity of the system. 7 claims.

• Assignee: Marathon Oil Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 4147637
• OSTI ID: 6910080
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EMULSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXTRACTION
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MICELLAR SYSTEMS
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
MICROEMULSIONS
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL WELLS
OPTIMIZATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PURIFICATION
REMOVAL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
STIMULATION
SULFONATES
WAXES
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS