Micellar flooding: fluid propagation, interaction, and mobility. [85% of tertiary oil]
Laboratory tests on Berea sandstone cores show that small polymer-driven micellar slugs displace tertiary oil effectively. The use of a sodium chloride brine preflush reduces surfactant adsorption and improves oil recovery. An isopropyl alcohol cosurfactant is very slightly adsorbed and can therefore be used as a tracer. Sulfonate adsorption losses show ''retrograde'' behavior, which maximizes near the critical micelle concentration and minimizes when there is maximum oil recovery. Polymer requirements are reduced by the interaction of micelles and clays which decrease permeability. An oil soluble hydrocarbon sulfonate, equivalent weight 350 to 475, was used in the micellar slug. Three different polymers appeared in the mobility buffer: Kelzan MF, a biopolymer, Dow Pusher 500 and Dow Pusher 700, polyacrylamides. Recoveries were as high as 85 percent of the tertiary oil.
- OSTI ID:
- 7301336
- Journal Information:
- Soc. Pet. Eng. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. J.; (United States) Vol. 14; ISSN SPTJA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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