Patent · US Expired

Methods for recovering oil from an oil reservoir

US7461694B2 · kind B2 · utility

17Cited by
9References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 16, 2005
Grant dateDec 9, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 16, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC09K2208/30
  • WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

There is a method for enhancing the recovery of oil from a reservoir. The method has the step of a) introducing a flooding fluid into the reservoir and b) extracting the oil through a wellbore at a location different than the point of introduction of the flooding fluid into the reservoir. The flooding fluid has water and an amount of one or more non-polymeric viscoelastic surfactants sufficient to provide an interfacial surface tension of about 1 mNm or less and a viscosity of about 10 cps or more. The one or more surfactants is selected from the group of one or more cationic surfactants, one or more zwitterionic surfactants, one or more amphoteric surfactants, one or more anionic surfactants, and combinations thereof.

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