Waterflooding employing surfactant solution
A method of improved recovery involves waterflooding a formation with a mixture of petroleum sulfonates having a median molecular weight of about 375 to 430 and a preferred molecular weight of 400 to 430. The sulfonates must have a smooth monomodal curve of molecular weight distribution between average molecular weights of about 290 and 590. The solution may be either aqueous or hydrocarbon. If aqueous, it should contain sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, and inorganic polyphosphates to retard adsorption of the sulfonates. Sodium chloride concentrations should never be greater than 2 percent, as petroleum sulfonates are chemically incompatible with sodium chloride at concentrations above 2 percent. Most tests employed the sessile drop method of quartz or Teflon for measuring surface tension and contact angle. One test was run on Upper Upper Loma Novia sandpacks and realized a 99 percent recovery of original oil in place.
- Assignee:
- Mobil Oil Corp.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 3468377
- OSTI ID:
- 7215927
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
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