Patent · US Expired

Method of clay stabilization in enhanced oil recovery

US4447342A · kind A · utility

60Cited by
2References
26Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 19, 1982
Grant dateMay 8, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 19, 2002

Classification

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

Abstract

A method of preventing permeability damage due to clay swelling, disintegration and migration in subterranean formations producing oil and gas, where such formations are to be the subject of enhanced oil recovery techniques using anionic or caustic flood chemicals. Prior to the use of such enhanced oil recovery techniques, a cationic organic polymer capable of stabilizing clays is introduced into an oil reservoir treatment area followed by introduction of a sufficient amount of a non-anionic aqueous spacer fluid to cause the cationic organic polymer to reorient itself on the reservoir clays in a substantially monomolecular layer and manner such that it will continue to stabilize the reservoir clays but will not substantially react with the anionic or caustic flood chemicals to form permeability damaging precipitates or to decompose thereby reducing its clay stabilization effectiveness.

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