Use of surfactants in oil recovery. [nonionic surfactant combined with control of ionic character of reservoir]
Improved waterflood recovery can be achieved by using a nonionic surfactant and by controlling the ionic character of the reservoir environment, either reducing the monovalent ion content of the connate water or incorporating multivalent ions in the aqueous surfactant slug. It has been found that monovalent ions, such as Na/sup +/, K/sup +/, Cl/sup -/, OH/sup -/, etc. diminish the solubility of the surfactant, and multivalent ions, such as Ca/sup + +/', Al/sup + + +/, and Ce/sup + + +/, increase the solubility. Laboratory studies on Burbank sand packs used the nonionic surfactant, Igepal CO-530, a nonyl phenoxypoly (ethylenoxy) ethanol, and indicated an overall savings in cost per barrel of oil and in time for a complete sweep.
- Assignee:
- Phillips Petroleum Co.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 3371710
- OSTI ID:
- 7215914
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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