US3724545A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Economical mobility control in oil recovery processes
Assignee: Marathon Oil Co
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Filing: 1970-09-28
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Granted: 1973-04-03
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Expires: 1990-09-28
Abstract
Abstract Improved mobility control in secondary and tertiary recovery processes is obtained by injecting at least two slugs into the reservoir, one slug designed to effect a permeability reduction and the other slug containing an agent which more effectively increases the fluid viscosity. For example, an aqueous slug containing a partially hydrolyzed, high molecular weight polyacrylamide can be injected (this slug efficiently reduces the relative permeability to the flow of the aqueous slug through the reservoir), followed by an aqueous slug containing a biopolymer, e.g., a linear polysaccharide having a molecular weight of about one million (this agent more effectively increases the viscosity of the water and has a lesser effect on permeability reduction). This combination of slugs gives more efficient and economical mobility control in flooding subterranean oil-bearing formations to recover oil therefrom.
Inventors
- 👤 B Knight
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 01:34
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/60; C09K8/84; C09K8/86; C09K8/88; C09K8/90; C09K8/905; C09K8/58; C09K8/588; E; E21; E21B; E21B33/00; E21B33/10; E21B33/13; E21B33/138; E21B43/00; E21B43/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the permeability-reducing agent is a partially hydrolyzed, high molecular weight polyacrylamide.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
21 words
injecting about 5 to about 30 percent formation pore volume of an aqueous solution containing a high molecular weight biopolymer, and
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
about 5 to about 30 percent formation pore volume of an aqueous solution containing about 100 to about 3,000 ppm of a biopolymer, and then injecting
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
sufficient water to displace the slugs toward the production means to recover crude oil therethrough.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
displacing slugs ''''(1)'''' and ''''(2)'''' towArd the production means to recover crude oil therethrough.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the permeability-reducing agent is a high molecular weight polymer obtained from polymerizing a sulfonated alkyl derivative of acrylamide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the viscosity-increasing agent is a high molecular weight biopolymer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 wherein a miscible slug or a miscible-like slug precedes the combination of the two slugs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 1 wherein a micellar dispersion precedes the combination of the two slugs.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the permeability-reducing agent and the viscosity-increasing agent within the slugs is within the range of about 100 to about 3,000 ppm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
An improved process for obtaining mobility control in an oil recovery process wherein a displacing fluid is injected through an injection means into a subterranean formation and displaced toward a production means to recover crude oil there-through, the improved process comprising:
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 8 wherein a micellar dispersion is injected into the formation before injection of the aqueous polyacrylamide solution.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 8 wherein a drive water is injected behind the aqueous biopolymer solution to displace the slugs toward the production means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
49 words
A process of obtaining improved mobility control in recovering oil from an oil-bearing subterranean formation wherein a micellar dispersion is injected into the formation through an injection means and displaced toward a production means in fluid communication with the formation, the improved process comprising injecting behind the micellar dispersion:
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the biopolymer is a linear polysaccharide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 11 wherein about 1 to about 20 percent formation pore volume of the micellar dispersion is injected into the formation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-02 | 1976-10-02 | 1977-04-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-02 | 1980-10-02 | 1981-04-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-02 | 1984-10-02 | 1985-04-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |