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

Surfactant oil recovery process

Patent ·
OSTI ID:7216011

A core from Slaughter Field in west Texas was flooded with simulated connate brine (about 250,000 ppm dissolved solids), saturated with Slaughter Field stock tank oil, and waterflooded with fresh water. A total recovery of 84.5 percent of the oil was recovered after the polymer preflush, a fresh water isolation slug, the surfactant slug, a polymer flood, and a fresh water drive fluid. The aqueous polymer preflush and polymer flood both contained a hydrophilic polymer (polyacrylamide) and a salt concentration necessary for optimum oil displacement with the surfactant slug. Guanidine hydrochloride, sodium oleate, and sodium hydroxide were in the aqueous surfactant slug. The isolation slug was necessary since the viscosity of the surfactant slug was less than the viscosity of the preflush solution.

Assignee:
Texaco Inc.
Patent Number(s):
US 3915230
OSTI ID:
7216011
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English