Oil recovery process usable in formations containing water having high concentrations of polyvalent ions

Patent · Mon Jan 06 23:00:00 EST 1975

OSTI ID:7216006

Flournoy, K H; Maddox, J Jr; Tate, J F

A dual surfactant system can effectively reduce surface tension in the presence of from 200 to about 18,000 ppM polyvalent ions, such as calcium and/or magnesium. The surfactant system consists of water soluble salts of alkyl or alkyl aryl sulfonates wherein the alkyl chain may have from 5 to 25 carbon atoms, e.g., ammonium dodecylbenzene sulfonate, plus sulfated oxyalkylated surfactants containing aryl alkyl groups, e.g., ethylene oxide adduct of nonyl phenol. The drive fluid may consist of water thickened with polysaccharide or polyacrylamide. Laboratory studies in limestone cores recovered up to 73% of the original oil in place (45% had been recovered prior to chemical flooding).

• Assignee: Texaco Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 3858656
• OSTI ID: 7216006
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
AROMATICS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
ESTERS
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM SULFONATES
PHENOLS
SULFONATES
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
SURFACTANTS
WATERFLOODING
WELLS