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

Oil recovery process utilizing a thickened aqueous flooding medium

Patent ·
OSTI ID:7299583
A thickened aqueous flooding medium, which is not subject to viscosity degradation in the presence of salt and which even undergoes an increase in viscosity with an increase in salt concentration, is used in secondary oil recovery. The aqueous flooding medium may contain a salt, or an aqueous solution of a salt may be injected prior or subsequent to the flooding medium. The polymer is sulfonated poly (2-R-6-R/sup 1/-1,4-phenylene oxide), where R is hydrogen is an aliphatic group containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms and R/sup 1/ is an aliphatic group containing from 14 to 20 carbon atoms with at least 14 carbon atoms in a straight chain. Salts useful in these floods are ammonium halides, alkali metal halides, and alkaline earth metal halides. Brines containing salt concentrations up to 10 percent may be used.
Assignee:
Mobil Oil Corp.
Patent Number(s):
US 3530938
OSTI ID:
7299583
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English