Patent · US Expired

Polymers useful in the recovery and processing of natural resources

US4951921A · kind A · utility

41Cited by
14References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 9, 1984
Grant dateAug 28, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 9, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S507/935
  • WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Water-soluble polymers comprising an N-vinyl lactam are found to be useful in processes wherein the polymer is introduced into a subterranean wellbore. Polymers useful in the recovery of natural resources are prepared by polymerizing an N-vinyl lactam by free radical initiation with polymerization conducted in an aqueous solution polymerization medium preferably containing a mixture of dissolved electrolytes, or in a polymerization medium consisting essentially of a tertiary alkanol. Copolymers of such N-Vinyl lactams with unsaturated amides, and terpolymers prepared by polymerizing an N-vinyl lactam and an unsaturated amide with a selected termonomer compound are also useful when prepared by these methods. The invention also broadly encompasses utilizing a water soluble polymer comprising at least one of a hydrophilic vinyl-containing sulfonate and a hydrophilic N-vinyl lactam under hostile conditions.

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