How the Maraflood process performs

Journal Article · Mon Nov 29 04:00:00 EST 1971 · Oil Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7299591

Bleakley, W B

Beginning in the early 1960s, a series of field tests of the Maraflood oil recovery process was initiated. The micellar solutions used in the Maraflood process consist of a surfactant, hydrocarbon and water mixture. In addition, an electrolyte and cosurfactant may be added. The surfactant is generally a petroleum sulfonate. Alcohols including isopropyl, nonyl phenol, amyl and hexyl are used as the cosurfactant. To protect the surfactant slug from the drive water, a mobility buffer is inserted between the slug and waterflood. The buffer's concentration is graded from high viscosity (slug viscosity) to that of the drive water. The initial buffers of water-external emulsions (composed of diluted surfactant solution) used in the early field tests were replaced by Dow Chemical's Pusher series, 500 and 700. The Dow Pushers are composed of high molecular weight polyacrylamides. To prepare the mobility buffer, the chemicals were added to fresh water which had been treated with sodium hydroxide to remove the divalent ions. The field tests were performed in Robinson sandstone (Dedrick lease, Crawford County, Illinois). Of the completed tests, a recovery of 63 percent of the oil in place after waterflooding has been obtained using the Maraflood process. Additional field tests are in progress.

• OSTI ID: 7299591
• Journal Information: Oil Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Oil Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 69; ISSN OIGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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