Heat-stable calcium-compatible waterflood surfactant

Patent · Tue Jul 11 04:00:00 EDT 1972

OSTI ID:7093209

Farmer, R F; Lawson, J B

An aqueous, oil or two-phase liquid dispersion of a mixture of petroleum sulfonate and alkoxylated alcohol sulfate surfactants gives improved oil recovery by using a sulfate surfactant that contains at least one chain-branching substituent on a carbon atom alpha or beta to the sulfate group. This surfactant system also has a low loss due to surfactant precipitation or adsorption, and an improved resistance toward hydrolytic decomposition at temperatures above 150/sup 0/F. The surfactant slug may contain from 0.01 to 5M sodium chloride and from 0 to 0.1 calcium chloride. Both surfactants are preferably alkali metal, ammonium or amine salts. The sulfate surfactant may contain from 8 to 20 carbon atoms, from 2 to 10 ethoxy groups, and 2 alkyl radicals on the carbon beta to the sulfate group.

• Assignee: Shell Oil Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 3675716
• OSTI ID: 7093209
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM CHLORIDES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM HALIDES
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
ESTERS
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM SULFONATES
SODIUM CHLORIDES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SULFONATES
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
SURFACTANTS
WATERFLOODING
WELLS