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

Aqueous fluid drive system for oil recovery process

Patent ·
OSTI ID:7215958

An aqueous solution of a synergistic mixture of surfactant and polymer (total additive concentration greater than or equal to 1,500 ppm) was developed for tertiary oil recovery. This solution was driven by an aqueous flood which contained a small amount of the synergistic mixture. The liquid nonionic surfactant was an ethoxylated adduct of a polypropylene glycol with a molecular weight of about 3,000 and an ethylene oxide content of about 60 percent. The polymer, a solid high molecular weight polyethylene oxide, was not subject to shear degradation or adsorption onto the reservoir surfaces. A recovery of 21.2 percent residual oil was obtained using packs of Dorvell's 20 to 40 ''frac'' sand which has been saturated with water, flooded with crude oil (BIEHL sandstone, Wabash County, Illinois), and waterflooded with tap water.

Assignee:
Wyandotte Chemicals Corp.
Patent Number(s):
US 3589444
OSTI ID:
7215958
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English