Surfactant flooding oil recovery process

Patent · Tue Jul 29 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6934061

Carlin, J; Mills, M; Tyler, T; Ware, J

A method of recovering petroleum from a subterranean petroleum-containing formation penrated by at least one injection well and by at least one spaced apart production well is described. The wells being in fluid communication with the formation, comprising: (A) injecting into the formation via the injection well an aqueous, saline fluid having a salinity greater than 20,000 ppM total dissolved solids and containing a surfactant comprising petroleum sulfonates whose average equivalent weight is from 350 to 400, from 15 to 35 percent of said pertroleum sulfonates having equilvent weights of 350 or less, from 30 to 50 percent of said petroleum sulfonates having equivalent weights greater than 350 and less than 500, and from 10 to 40 percent of said petroleum sulfonates having equivalent weights of 500 and above and a solubilizing co-surfactant selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated alkanols, ethoxylated alkylphenols, alkyl or alkylaryl polyethoxy sulfates, alkyl or alkylaryl polyalkoxyalkyl sulfonates, and mixtures thereof, said surfactant fluid displacing petroleum toward the production well; and (B) recovering petroleum displaced by the surfactant fluids from the formation and via the production well.

• Assignee: Texaco Inc
• Patent Number(s): US 4214999
• OSTI ID: 6934061
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALCOHOLS
ALKOXY RADICALS
ALKYL RADICALS
AROMATICS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
ESTERS
ETHOXY RADICALS
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INJECTION WELLS
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM SULFONATES
PHENOLS
RADICALS
RECOVERY
SALINITY
STIMULATION
SULFATES
SULFONATES
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACTANTS
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS