Emulsion flooding of viscous oil reservoirs

Conference · Sun Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1972

OSTI ID:7301282

D'Elia-S, R; Ferrer-G, J

Stable water in oil emulsions can be formed with low pH water and viscous crudes which contain natural emulsifiers. An example is Boscan crude oil (200 cp) which is an asphaltic crude. Consolidated sandstone cores (about 19 to 22 percent porosity, 200 to 500 md permeability) were flooded alternately with Boscan crude and Boscan reservoir water (130 ppM sodium ions, 8 ppM calcium and magnesium ions) at reservoir temperatures, 180/sup 0/F. Secondary recovery tests were performed at 180/sup 0/F by following a crude flood with an emulsion slug, a polymer (Dow Pusher 700) flood and a water drive. All emulsion and polymer solutions were prepared with distilled water. A maximum oil recovery of 97 percent was obtained by emulsion flood. A waterflood gave a maximum recovery of 42 percent. Tertiary oil recovery, an emulsion flood after waterflooding, yielded 75 percent of the residual oil.

• OSTI ID: 7301282
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL WELLS
PETROLEUM
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS