Use of materials as waterflood additives
One embodiment includes an oil recovery process, more particularly a secondary or tertiary type crude oil recovery process utilizing a drive fluid to move a displacing fluid through a subterranean formation wherein the displacing fluid displaces crude oil therefrom and is driven through the formation by means of the drive fluid. The crude oil recovery process is improved by utilizing as the drive fluid a thickened, transparent, aqueous solution of a water-soluble sulfated, polyethoxylated C/sub 10/-C/sub 18/ primary alcohol or alkylated phenol. The displacing fluid is generally an aqueous surfactant solution, a miscible displacing medium or most preferably a microemulsion. In a further embodiment, the water-soluble, polyethoxylated C/sub 10/-C/sub 18/ primary alcohol or alkylated phenol is employed as a mobility control agent in a waterflood thereby increasing the sweep efficiency thereof. (auth)
- Assignee:
- Exxon Production Research Co.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 3888308
- OSTI ID:
- 7200863
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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