High conformance oil recovery process
The conformance of an aqueous flooding oil recovery process, including steam, hot water or surfactant or other chemicalized water flood process, in a formation containing at least two zones of different permeability, the permeability of one zone being at least 50 percent greater than the permeability of the other zone, is improved by flooding until the higher permeability zone has been depleted, after which a fluid is injected into the depleted, high permeability zone, said fluid having relatively low viscosity at the time of injection and containing a mixture of at least two surface active agents which promotes the formation of a coarse emulsion in the flow channels of the formation which reduces the permeability of the high permeability zone. Since the viscosity of the fluid injected into the previously water flooded, high permeability zone is no greater than water, it is injected easily into the zone and moves through substantially the same flow channels as water would move in the formation. After the permeability of the first zone has been reduced substantially, flooding may then be accomplished in the second zone which was originally not invaded by the injected oil displacing fluid since its permeability was substantially less than the permeability of the first zone. The surface active agents are tailored to exhibit optimum emulsion formation properties with the particular aqueous fluid present in the flow channels of the formation to be treated.
- Assignee:
- Texaco Inc
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4184549
- OSTI ID:
- 5753912
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 22 Dec 1977; Other Information: PAT-APPL-863508
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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High conformance oil recovery process
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Related Subjects
OIL WELLS
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
INJECTION WELLS
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM
SULFONATES
SURFACTANTS
VISCOSITY
WELL STIMULATION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
RECOVERY
STIMULATION
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production