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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Foam for secondary and tertiary recovery

Patent ·
OSTI ID:7093234
A foamed oil-external micellar dispersion was used in enhanced oil recovery. The dispersion was composed of ammonium petroleum sulfonate, an alcohol, water, and a hydrocarbon. Laboratory tests using sandpacks (43 darcies, 40 percent porosity) were carried out for secondary and tertiary recoveries. Primary amyl alcohol and residue crude oil (7 cp) were the alcohol and hydrocarbon in the micellar dispersion. The sandpacks were flooded with an aqueous solution (2 percent sodium chloride), saturated with oil, and then also waterflooded for the tertiary recovery tests. Air was used to form the foam in situ and to displace the micellar slug. The maximum recoveries were 71 percent (secondary) and 85 percent (tertiary). Consolidated sandstone cores were saturated with water, flooded with oil and waterflooded before treatment. The micellar dispersion contained residue straight run gasoline and isopropanol, as well as the surfactant and water. The foam was formed with natural gas before injection and was followed by a mobility buffer (water thickened partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides). Oil recovery was economically attractive.
Assignee:
Marathon Oil Co.
Patent Number(s):
US 3759325
OSTI ID:
7093234
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English