Method of desorbing surfactant and reusing it in flooding water
Enhanced recovery is described of oil from an oil-containing subterranean formation, where a saline surfactant solution is employed along with an oil field brine. By oil-field brine is meant an aqueous solution containing at least 1% by wt of sodium chloride. The enhanced recovery is obtained by the following steps: (1) injecting through an injection well and into the subterranean formation an aqueous, saline surfactant solution; (2) injecting through the injection well and into the subterranean formation a slug of less-saline water having a lower salinity than the saline surfactant solution injected in step (1), and (3) injection flooding water through the injection means. The slug of less-saline water desorbs the surfactant, builds a second bank of surfactant solution, and enables traversing substantially the entire formation with surfactant solution, thus effecting more nearly complete recovery of oil. (12 claims)
- Assignee:
- EDB-83-013913
- Patent Number(s):
- US 3474864
- OSTI ID:
- 6985262
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 9 Oct 1967; Other Information: PAT-APPL-673,882
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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