US3776309A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Viscous surfactant water flooding
Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Co
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Filing: 1971-05-28
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Granted: 1973-12-04
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Expires: 1991-05-28
Abstract
Abstract A method of treating a formation by means of a well using a novel composition as a waterflood additive. The method is primarily used as a method for recovering oil from the formation, but also has utility in increasing the water injectivity of a well by reducing the formation''s residual oil saturation. The composition is prepared by reacting hydrocarbons of the type occurring in a 700*-1,100*F boiling range fraction of a petroleum crude with gaseous SO3 under specific sulfonating conditions. The composition is essentially a mixture of hydrocarbon sulfonates which has the properties of reducing the interfacial tension and increasing the viscosity of certain aqueous systems.
Inventors
- 👤 P Lederman
- 👤 K Murray
- 👤 D Hopkins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 17:55
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58; C09K8/584
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
24 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the concentration of the waterflood additive in the aqueous solution is at least 0.5 weight percent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the concentration of the waterflood additive in the aqueous solution is less than the solubility limit of the additive in the solution.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the concentration of the waterflood additive in the aqueous solution is approximately 2 weight percent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the volume of aqueous solution injected is approximately 30 percent of the formation pore volume.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising injecting a thickened water solution into the formation to displace the aqueous solution.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as defined in claim 6 wherein the volume of the thickened water solution is approximately 30 percent of the formation pore volume.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 6 wherein the thickened water solution and aqueous solution are displaced into the reservoir by water.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the aqueous solution is injected into the formation by means of one well penetrating the formation and the oil is recovered by means of another well penetrating the formation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as defined in claim 1 where the aqueous solution is injected into the formation and the oil is recovered by means of a well penetrating the formation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as defined by claim 1 wherein the additive has the property of at least doubling the pseudoplastic viscosity of water containing 3 percent by weight sodium carbonate at a shear rate of 230 reciprocal seconds.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as defined by claim 1 wherein the additive has the property of increasing the equilibrium apparent viscosity of water containing 3 percent by weight sodium carbonate to at least 10 centipoises at 26*C and 5.75 reciprocal seconds when present in said solution at a concentration of 2 weight percent.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of treating a subterranean formation comprising injecting into the formation an aqueous solution containing a composition consisting essentially of sulfonated hydrocarbons, said composition having the property of reducing the interfacial tension between an aqueous phase and a non-aqueous phase to less than 0.1 dyne/cm at approximately 22*C when added to a concentration of 0.5 weight percent to the aqueous phase, the aqueous phase consisting of 0.1 weight percent sodium chloride and the remainder water, the non-aqueous phase consisting of cyclohexane, and said composition having the property of imparting pseudoplastic and thixotropic non-Newtonian viscosity characteristics to a solution containing 3 percent by weight sodium carbonate, 0.3 weight percent sodium sulfate, 0.4 weight percent hydrocarbon oil and the remainder water.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as defined in claim 13 wherein the composition has characteristic infra-red absorption bands occurring approximately at: Wave Length in Microns 3.2 3.6 6.3 7.0 7.3 8.7 9.7
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as defined in claim 13 wherein the compound has an approximate empirical formula of: CxHy(SO3M)z where M is a monovalent cation x is from 28 to 44 y varies from 40 to 58 z varies from 1.2 to 1.5
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method as defined in claim 15 wherein M is sodium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method as defined by claim 15 wherein M is ammonium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as defined by claim 13 wherein the composition is highly soluble in polar liquids, highly insoluble in non-polar liquids, and hygroscopic.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of displacing oil in a subterranean oil formation which comprises injecting into the formation an aqueous solution of a surfactant composition comprising a mixture of hydrocarbon sulfonates, said surfactant composition being capable of imparting an equilibrium apparent viscosity of at least 10 centipoises at 26*C and at a shear rate of 5.75 reciprocal seconds to an aqueous system consisting of 2 weight percent of said surfactant composition, 3 weight percent sodium carbonate, 0.3 weight percent sodium sulfate, 0.4 weight percent hydrocarbon oil, and the remainder water, said surfactant composition being further capable of lowering the interfacial tension between cyclohexane and water containing 1 weight percent sodium chloride and 0.5 weight percent of said surfactant composition to a value no greater than 0.1 dyne/cm at about 22*C, said surfactant composition being further capable of imparting pseudoplastic and thixotropic non-Newtonian viscosity characteristics to said aqueous system.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as defined in claim 19 in which said surfactant composition comprises a mixture of petroleum hydrocarbon sulfonates.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as defined in claim 20 in which the petroleum hydrocarbon sulfonates are derived from the sulfonation of hydrocarbons of the type occurring in a 700*-1,100*F boiling range of petroleum crude oil.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as defined in claim 21 in which the petroleum hydrocarbon sulfonates are formed by sulfonating said hydrocarbons with sulfur trioxide in a thin film reactor.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as defined in claim 21 in which the hydrocarbon sulfonates have an approximate empirical formula of: CxHy(SO3M)z where x is from 28 to 44 y is from 40 to 58 z is from 1.2 to 1.5, and M is a monovalent cation.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as defined in claim 23 in which M is sodium.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as defined in claim 23 in which M is ammonium.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-03 | 1977-06-04 | 1977-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-03 | 1981-06-04 | 1981-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-03 | 1985-06-04 | 1985-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |