Oil recovery process using aqueous surfactant compositions. [3 component surfactant composition]

Patent · Tue Aug 06 04:00:00 EDT 1974

OSTI ID:7299642

Dycus, D W; Malmberg, E W; Wilchester, H L

A three-component surfactant composition is insensitive to brine concentration and is effective in oil recovery. The surfactant slug is composed of alkali metal salts of alkyl benzene sulfonates containing 12 to 30 carbon atoms and having a molecular weight (MW) of 350 to 525 (Witco Chemical TRS-10 is the sodium salt, 425 MW), a salt of a sulfonated or sulfated oxyalkylated alcohol (Neodol 25-3S is the sodium salt of the sulfated alcohol), polyalkylene glycol alkyl ether (2 EO Hexanol is diethylene glycol hexyl ether), and brine (0.5 to 8 percent sodium chloride, 50 to 5,000 ppm polyvalent metal ions). As the brine concentration increases, the ratio of alcohol to ether must also increase. This is also true for increases in polyvalent metal ion concentration. The surfactant slug is followed with a polysaccharide mobility improver (Enjay Biopolymer) in brine.

• Assignee: Sun Oil Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 3827497
• OSTI ID: 7299642
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALCOHOLS
BRINES
CARBOHYDRATES
CONTROL
ESTERS
FLUID INJECTION
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MOBILITY
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM SULFONATES
POLYSACCHARIDES
SACCHARIDES
SULFONATES
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
SURFACTANTS
WATERFLOODING
WELLS