Method for inhibiting adsorption of surfactant in secondary oil recovery

Patent · Tue Jan 29 04:00:00 EDT 1974

OSTI ID:7215985

Feuerbacher, D G; Smith, M K.H.

Adsorption of a surfactant by the reservoir rock can be inhibited by using a preflood of an aqueous solution of a water soluble salt of a strong mineral acid having an oxygen containing anion, such as a nitrate, sulfate, or phosphate, and injecting this preflood in such quantities that it satisfies substantially all of the adsorption capacity of the reservoir matrix. The preflood is then followed by an aqueous solution of the surfactant which may also contain the sacrificial inorganic material plus sodium chloride, which also inhibits adsorption. The author found that nonionic surfactants, such as ethylene oxide adduct of nonyl phenol, are especially preferable. The sacrificial inorganic is also highly effective for inhibiting the adsorption of polymeric materials, such as polyacrylamide, in the injection fluid. The total effectiveness of the viscous flood will be improved by the maintenance of high viscosity at distances away from the well bore. Testing of the adsorption inhibiting properties of the inorganic sacrificial material performed on silica sand columns showed a dramatic reduction in adsorption.

• Assignee: Texaco Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 3788399
• OSTI ID: 7215985
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ADSORPTION
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
DISPERSIONS
FLUID INJECTION
MIXTURES
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OIL WELLS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHATES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
RESERVOIR ROCK
ROCKS
SOLUTIONS
SORPTION
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SURFACTANTS
WATERFLOODING
WELLS