Waterflood oil recovery using calcium compatible mixture of anionic surfactants

Patent · Tue Apr 28 00:00:00 EDT 1970

OSTI ID:7093174

Reisberg, J; Lawson, J B; Smith, G

An improved method for oil recovery is obtained by pretreating the oil containing formation prior to or during the injection of an aqueous drive fluid, with a slug of an aqueous saline solution containing a synergistic mixture of dissimilar anionic surfactants at least one of which is an alkali metal or ammonium or amine salt of an organic sulfonate and at least one of which is an alkali metal or ammonium or amine salt of a sulfated oxyalkylated organic material. The preferred range of concentrations of surfactants in the aqueous saline solution is about 1 to 5 percent by weight of surfactant. The salinity of the solution can be controlled by the addition of an electrolyte such as Na, K and/or Li chloride, bromide, iodide and combinations of these salts. A small amount of a polyvalent metal salt such as the corresponding halides of alkaline earth metals can also be added to the surfactant slug. These aqueous saline solutions of surfactants may contain, or be preceded by, or be followed by aqueous solutions of water thickening materials such as water soluble gums and/or polymers such as the water-soluble salt of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides (1 to 10 million molecular weight).

• Assignee: Shell Oil Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 3508612
• OSTI ID: 7093174
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
ESTERS
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM SULFONATES
POLYAMIDES
POLYMERS
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SULFONATES
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
SURFACTANTS
WATERFLOODING
WELLS