US3670818A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mobility control in oil recovery processes
Assignee: Marathon Oil Co
•
Filing: 1970-04-29
•
Granted: 1972-06-20
•
Expires: 1990-04-29
Abstract
Abstract Improved secondary and tertiary recovery processes wherein a mobility buffer is used are improved by alternately injecting mobility buffer slugs (containing mobility reducing agents) and slugs of water followed by a driving agent. For example, improved crude oil recoveries with emulsion and micellar systems are obtained by alternately injecting aqueous slugs containing mobility reducing agents and slugs of water followed by drive water to displace the system through the reservoir. The mobility buffer slugs can have progressively decreasing concentrations of the mobility reducing agent relative to the initial mobility buffer slug.
Inventors
- 👤 Bruce L Knight
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 21:53
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58; E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/16; E21B43/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1 wherein a displacing agent precedes the mobility buffer slug.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
14 words
5 percent up to about 25 percent formation pore volume of drive water, and
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
then injecting sufficient drive water to displace the mobility buffer toward the production means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
about 5 percent to about 25 percent formation pore volume of a water drive,
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
7 words
repeating step (1) at least once, and
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
7 words
repeating step (1) at least once, and
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the displacing agent is selected from the group consisting of immiscible agents, miscible agents, and agents having both immiscible and miscible characteristics.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 3 wherein the displacing agent is selected from the group consisting of emulsions and micellar dispersions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
then injecting sufficient drive water to displace the mobility buffer toward the production means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
then injecting sufficient drive water to displace the previously injected slugs toward the production means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the mobility reducing agent is a partially hydrolyzed high molecular weight polyacrylamide.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1 wherein steps (1) and (2) are repeated at least twice.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the formation pore volumes in (1) and (2) are about 5 percent up to about 15 percent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
56 words
In a process of recovering crude oil from a subterranean formation comprised of injecting into the formation a mobility buffer comprised of an aqueous solution containing mobility reducing agent and displacing it with drive water toward a production means in fluid communication with the formation to recover crude oil through the production means, the improvement comprising:
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
In a process for recovering crude oil from a subterranean formation comprised of injecting into the formation a micellar dispersion followed by a mobility buffer comprised of an aqueous solution containing mobility reducing agent and wherein the micellar dispersion and mobility buffer are displaced toward a production means in fluid communication with the formation to recover crude oil through the production means, the improvement comprising displacing the micellar dispersion and mobility buffer by:
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the mobility reducing agent is a partially hydrolyzed, high molecular weight acrylamide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 9 wherein steps (1) and (2) are repeated at least twice.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 9 wherein the formation pore volume in steps (1) and (2) is about 5 percent to about 15 percent formation pore volume.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2341500A
Cited
US2731414A
Cited
US2827964A
Cited
US2927637A
Cited
US3039529A
Cited
US3261399A
Cited
US3308883A
Cited
US3406754A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-20 | 1975-12-20 | 1976-06-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-20 | 1979-12-20 | 1980-06-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-20 | 1983-12-20 | 1984-06-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |