Recovery of hydrocarbons from subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formations

Claim 2

The process of claim 2, wherein said base is contained in the aqueous medium in concentrations in the range of from about 0.001N to 1.ON.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the substituents of said substituted nitrobenzene are selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, methoxy, ethoxy, and hydroxy and combinations thereof.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein said substituted nitrobenzene is selected from the group consisting of o-nitroanisole, o-nitrotoluene, o-nitrophenol nitrated mixed (m,p) cresols and mixtures thereof.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein said substituted nitrobenzene is in the range from about 500 ppm to 5000 ppm.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 including the addition of a nonionic emulsifying agent to said aqueous medium.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 including the addition of a solubilizing agent to said aqueous medium.

Claim 8

A process for recovering hydrocarbons from a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation penetrated by an injection well and a production well, which comprises injecting into said formation through said injection well an aqueous medium containing a base and a substituted nitrobenzene in amounts sufficient to reduce the absorptive capacity of said formation for said hydrocarbons and enhance the mobility thereof, and thereafter injecting an aqueous drive medium into said formation through said injection well and driving the same toward said production well.

Claim 9

The process of claim 9, wherein said base is selected from the group consisting of the hydroxides of sodium, potassium, ammonium and mixtures thereof.

Claim 10

The process of claim 10, wherein said base is contained in the aqueous medium in concentrations in the range of from about 0.001N to 1.ON.

Claim 11

The process of claim 9 wherein the substituents of said substituted nitrobenzene are selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, methoxy, ethoxy, and hydroxy and combinations thereof.

Claim 12

The process of claim 9 wherein said substituted nitrobenzene is selected from the group consisting of o-nitroanisole, o-nitrotoluene, o-nitrophenol nitrated mixed (m,p) cresols and mixtures thereof.

Claim 13

The process of claim 9 wherein said substituted nitrobenzene is in the range from about 500 ppm to 5000 ppm.

Claim 14

The process of claim 9 wherein said aqueous drive medium is H2O.

Claim 15

The process of claim 15 wherein the H2O is water, steam, and mixtures thereof, the temperatures thereof being fixed by optimum conditions of operation.

Claim 16

The process of claim 9 including the addition of a nonionic emulsifying agent to said aqueous medium.

Claim 17

The process of claim 9 including the addition of a solubilizing agent to said aqueous medium.

Claim 18

A process for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-bearing sand matrix having heretofore undergone mining processing, which comprises contacting said hydrocarbonbearing sand matrix with an aqueous medium containing a base and a substituted nitrobenzene thereby forming an emulsion of said hydrocarbons in said sand matrix and said aqueous medium, recovering the emulsion thus formed, and separating hydrocarbons from said emulsion.

Claim 19

The process of claim 19 wherein said base is selected from the group consisting of the hydroxides of sodium, potassium, ammonium and mixtures thereof.

Claim 20

The process of Claim 20 wherein said base is contained in the aqueous carrier in concentrations in the range of from about 0.001N to 1.ON.

Claim 21

The process of claim 19 wherein the substituents of said substituted nitrobenzene are selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, methoxy, ethoxy, and hydroxy and combinations thereof.

Claim 22

The process of claim 19 wherein said substituted nitrobenzene is selected from the group consisting of o-nitroanisole, o-nitrotoluene, o-nitrophenol nitrated mixed (m,p) cresols and mixtures thereof.

Claim 23

The process of claim 19 wherein said substituted nitrobenzene is in the range from about 500 ppm to 5000 ppm by volume.

Claim 24

The process of claim 19 including the addition of a nonionic emulsifying agent to said aqueous medium.

Claim 25

The process of claim 19 including the addition of a solubilizing agent to said aqueous medium.