Oil recovery process

Patent · Tue Dec 11 04:00:00 EST 1973

OSTI ID:7301320

Feuerbacher, D G; Smith, M K.H.

By injecting into a reservoir a preflush of water soluble, strongly basic material having an oxygen containing anion, such as sodium hydroxide or sodium meta silicate, the amount of subsequently injected surfactant which is adsorbed onto the formation can be dramatically decreased. The amount of sacrificial preflush must be sufficient to substantially satisfy all of the adsorption capacity of the reservoir matrix. The process consists of three steps: (1) preflood of basic solution, (2) surfactant flood, and (3) drive fluid, which is usually water. Nonionic surfactants are most suitable to this process, e.g., ethylene oxide adduct of nonyl phenol. A small amount of the base may be added to the surfactant to further aid in reducing adsorption. Sodium chloride may also be added for the same purpose. This preflood is also very effective in prohibiting adsorption of polymeric materials used in waterfloods.

• Assignee: Texaco Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 3777817
• OSTI ID: 7301320
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
OIL WELLS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
SODIUM SILICATES
SURFACTANTS
WATERFLOODING
WELLS