Method for mobility control in oil-bearing carbonate formations
US8851187B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 2011 |
| Grant date | Oct 7, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 13, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC09K8/584
- WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method for enhancing recovery of oil from an oil-bearing carbonate formation within a reservoir. The method has the steps of (a) introducing a viscous gel under pressure into the oil-bearing carbonate formation and (b) extracting oil. The aqueous viscous gel has water and an amount of a non-polymeric viscosifying surfactant sufficient to provide the flooding fluid with an oil/water interfacial surface tension of about 10 mN/m or less and a viscosity of about 10 cP or more of the one or more non-polymeric surfactants. The one or more non-polymeric, viscosifying surfactants is selected from the group of one or more cationic surfactants, one or more zwitterionic surfactants, one or more anionic surfactants, one or more amphoteric surfactants, and combinations thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the aqueous viscous gel is also substantially free of solids.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.