US3811504A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Surfactant oil recovery process usable in formations containing water having high concentrations of polyvalent ions such as calcium and magnesium
Assignee: Texaco Inc
•
Filing: 1973-02-09
•
Granted: 1974-05-21
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Expires: 1993-02-09
Abstract
Abstract A three component surfactant system usable in the presence of from about 1,500 to about 12,000 parts per million polyvalent ions, such as calcium and/or magnesium, and a method of using said surfactant system for recovering petroleum from subterranean formations, said surfactant system comprising a water soluble salt of an alkyl or alkylaryl sulfonate anionic surfactant plus a water soluble salt of an alkyl polyethoxy sulfate anionic surfactant plus a nonionic surfactant such as a polyethoxylated alkyl phenol, a polyethoxylated aliphatic alcohol or a fatty acid mono- or dialkanolamide.
Inventors
- 👤 G Haferkamp
- 👤 R Shupe
- 👤 K Flournoy
- 👤 R Cardenas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 14:17
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58; C09K8/584; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S507/00; Y10S507/935; Y10S507/936
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
31 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein a cation is associated with the first anionic surfactant, said cation being independently selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium and ammonium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the cation is ammonium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the cation is sodium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said second anionic surfactant is associated with a cation selected from the group consisting of ammonium, potassium and sodium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said cation is sodium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as recited in claim 5 wherein said cation is ammonium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the alkyl chain of the first anionic surfactant contains from eight to 14 carbon atoms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the alkyl chain of the second anionic surfactant contains from eight to 14 carbon atoms.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the alkyl chain of the nonionic surfactant contains from eight to 14 carbon atoms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first anionic surfactant is the ammonium salt of dodecylbenzene sulfonate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first anionic surfactant is the ammonium salt of laurylbenzene sulfonate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first anionic surfactant is petroleum sulfonate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second anionic surfactant is sodium dodecyl polyethoxy sulfate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant is a polyethoxylated nonylphenol having from nine to 10 ethoxy groups.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant is a fatty acid diethanolamide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the fatty acid diethanolamide is lauryldiethanolamide.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant is dodecyldiisopropanolamide.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant is dodecylmonoisopropanolamide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the nonionic surfactant is dodecylmonoethanolamide.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the concentration of the first anionic surfactant in the surfactant solution is from about 0.05 to about 5.0 percent by weight.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the concentration of the first anionic surfactant is from about 0.20 to about 0.50 percent by weight.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the concentration of the second anionic surfactant is from about 0.05 to about 5.0 percent by weight.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the concentration of the second anionic surfactant is from about 0.2 to 0.5 percent by weight.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the concentration of nonionic surfactant in the aqueous surfactant solution is from about 0.05 to about 5.0 percent by weight.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the concentration of nonionic surfactant is from about 0.20 to about 0.50.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the ratio of first anionic surfactant concentration to the nonionic surfactant concentration is from about one to about eight.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the aqueous surfactant solution also has dissolved therein a hydrophilic polymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide and polysaccharide in sufficient concentration to increase the viscosity of the aqueous surfactant solution.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the aqueous surfactant solution is followed by the injection of an aqueous solution having dissolved therein sufficient hydrophilic polymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide and polysaccharide to increase the viscosity of the injected aqueous solution to a value greater than the viscosity of the formation water.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the concentration of at least one of the surfactants is greater in the first portion of surfactant solution injected into the formation than in the latter portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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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) | 1977-05-20 | 1977-11-19 | 1978-05-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-05-20 | 1981-11-19 | 1982-05-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-05-20 | 1985-11-19 | 1986-05-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |