Oil recovery process using surfactants formed in-situ

Claim 1

IN THE PRODUCTION OF OIL FROM A SUBTERRANEAN OIL RESERVOIR PENETRATED BY SPACED INJECTION AND PRODUCTION SYSTEMS DEFINING A RECOVORY ZONE OF SAID RESERVOIR, THE METHOD COMPRISING: (A) INTRODUCING AN OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS INTO THE RECOVERY ZONE OF SAID RESERVOIR TO FORM HYDROPEROXIDES OF SATURATED ALIPHATIC CONSTITUENTS OF SAID OIL, (B) THEREAFTER INTRODUCING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A BISULFITE SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF THE ALKALI METAL BISULFITES AND AMMONIUM BISULFITIE INTO SAID RECOVERY ZONE AND INTO CONTACT WITH SAID HYDROPEROXIDES TO CONVERT SAID HYDROPEROXIDES TO SURFACE ACTIVE SULFOXY ACIDS, (C) THEREAFTER INTRODUCING INTO SAID RECOVERY ZONE VIA SAID INJECTION SYSTEM AN AQUEOUS FLOODING MEDIUM TO DISPLACE OIL TO SAID PRODUCTION SYSTEM, AND (D) RECOVERING OIL FROM SAID PRODUCTION SYSTEM.