Miscible-type waterflooding: oil recovery with micellar solutions

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/1847-1-PA· OSTI ID:7301146

Gogarty, W B; Tosch, W C

A new recovery process for producing oil under both secondary and tertiary conditions has been developed that uses micellar solutions. These solutions can be driven through the reservoir with water, can displace 100 percent of the oil left in the reservoir, and are stable in the presence of reservoir water and rock. The authors conjecture that the lack of adsorption of the surfactant is due to the interaction between the surfactant, hydrocarbon, and water. Laboratory and field tests used a micellar solution made of a surfactant, alkyl aryl sulfonate, a hydrocarbon, pentane, crude column overhead, or stabilized straight run gasoline, and a cosurfactant, isopropyl alcohol. Mobility control within the slug itself and within the buffer slug is an important factor in this process. Within the surfactant slug, mobility is controlled by compositional changes, such as the addition of electrolytes, which affect the solution viscosity. The mobility buffer consists of a high molecular weight partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, for example Dow's Pusher, and furnishes protection to the trailing edge of the slug. Up to 100 percent displacement of contacted oil was found in field tests at the Eastern Illinois oilfield area, based on core examinations.

• OSTI ID: 7301146
• 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
COLLOIDS
CONTROL
DISPERSIONS
EMULSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
ESTERS
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
MICROEMULSIONS
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
MOBILITY
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM SULFONATES
SULFONATES
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
SURFACTANTS
WELLS