Patent · US Expired

Organosilicon polymer having nonrandom crosslinkages useful in enhanced oil recovery using carbon dioxide flooding

US4989674A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
6References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 7, 1989
Grant dateFeb 5, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 7, 2009

Classification

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

Abstract

A polymer is disclosed that is useful in increasing the viscosity of carbon dioxide. That polymer comprises an organosilicon polymer having nonrandom crosslinkages that enhance backbone rigidity. Preferably, that polymer is a polyalkylsilsesquioxane. That polymer can be used in a method for recovering oil from an underground oil-bearing earth formation penetrated by an injection well and a producing well, in which method carbon dioxide is injected into the formation to displace oil towards the producing well from which oil is produced to the surface. The viscosity of the carbon dioxide injected into the formation is increased at least three-fold by the presence of a sufficient amount of the polymer and a sufficient amount of a cosolvent to form a solution of the polymer in the carbon dioxide.

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