Displacement mechanisms of micellar solutions

Journal Article · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1968 · J. Pet. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/1847-2-PA· OSTI ID:7299564

Davis, J A; Jones, S C

Microscopic phenomena were observed photographically in a specially constructed glass flow model and macroscopic data were taken from constant rate, tertiary displacements conducted in Berea sandstone cores. A micellar solution slug completely removes oil from the portion of rock it contacts, but incompletely displaces the interstitial water. For a given composition of micellar solution, the amount of water dispersed increases with decreasing water salinity. Thickened water is capable of displacing slug and residual water. A water-external emulsion, that can be infinitely diluted with water, is spontaneously formed by the micellar slug and low salt water (e.g. thickened water). Naphtha, water, sodium hydroxide, petroleum sulfonate, isopropanol and nonyl phenol were combined to form the micellar solution. The thickened water contained Dow Pusher. A consolidated Berea sandstone core was saturated with a sweet, black, 7-cp, 36.4/sup 0/ API gravity Illinois crude, then waterflooded to residual oil. A 5 percent PV micellar slug recovered all of the oil. A minimum mobility buffer of 50 percent PV was required to completely protect the miscible slug.

• OSTI ID: 7299564
• Journal Information: J. Pet. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Pet. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 20; ISSN JPTJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALCOHOLS
AROMATICS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
ESTERS
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM SULFONATES
PHENOLS
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SULFONATES
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
WELLS