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

Flooding process for the recovery of oil

Patent ·
OSTI ID:7215953
As the amount of water in a soluble oil slug was decreased from oil-external microemulsion to substantially anhydrous soluble oil to anhydrous soluble oil, the recovery of oil increased. The use of a polymer flood in place of at least part of a waterflood driving fluid improved recoveries. Nevada 130 sand packs were saturated with water, then Illinois crude oil (7 cp at test conditions). A maximum secondary recovery of 98.4 percent oil in place was obtained by an anhydrous soluble oil slug driven by thickened water. After waterflooding, the maximum of 90.8 percent of the residual oil was recovered by an anhydrous soluble oil slug. The surfactant slugs were composed of petroleum sulfonates, Illinois crude, butyl Cellosolve and 0 to 25 volume percent of water. Pusher 500 was the thickener in the drive fluid.
Assignee:
Union Oil Co. of California
Patent Number(s):
US 3537520
OSTI ID:
7215953
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English