Patent · US Expired

Surfactant waterflood oil recovery process

US4319636A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
7References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 19, 1980
Grant dateMar 16, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 19, 2000

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S507/936
  • WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Disclosed is a surfactant waterflooding oil recovery process for use in high salinity water-containing formations employing two separate surfactant-containing slugs or a single slug in which the composition is changed from the first to the last portion of the slug injected into the formation. The first portion of the surfactant fluid contains a surfactant combination which exhibits optimum low surface tension characteristics, and the second or latter portion of the surfactant slug contains a blend of surfactants which produces a high viscosity fluid. Use of hydrophilic viscosity-increasing polymer is thus avoided, eliminating the interaction between polymer and surfactant which causes a reduction in surfactant effectiveness.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.