Patent US3850244A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3850244A
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Polymer flooding process
Assignee: Marathon Oil Co
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Filing: 1973-06-13
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Granted: 1974-11-26
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Expires: 1993-06-13
Abstract
Abstract Mobility control is improved in secondary-type oil recovery through injection of two aqueous polymer solutions. The first solution effects permeability reduction and no fraction of the polymer deviates more than 5 percent from the average molecular weight polymer injected. The second solution contains a polymer which does not substantially change rock permeability, but imparts a viscosity increase to the solution. An example of the polymer used in the first solution is a partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide or a copolymer of acrylamide and sodium acrylate or acrylic acid and in the second solution is a biopolymer.
Inventors
- 👤 J Rhudy
- 👤 W Gogarty
- 👤 B Knight
- 👤 J Fullinwider
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 23:48
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/16; C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58; C09K8/588
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
IN A PROCESS OF RECOVERING HYDROCARBON FROM A HYDROCARBON-BEARING SUBTERRENEAN FORMATION HAVING AT LEAST ONE INJECTION MEANS IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH AT LEAST ONE PRODUCTION MEANS AND WHEREIN POLYMER SOLUTION IS INJECTED INTO THE FORMATION TO DISPLACE HYDROCARBON TOWARD THE PRODUCTION MEANS THROUGH WHICH HYDROCARBON IS RECOVERED, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING INJECTING A FIRST SOLUTION COMPRISED OF A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFRM MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYMER OF SUFFICIENT CONCENTRATION AND SUFFICIENT MOLECULAR WEIGHT TO SUBSTANTIALLY EFFECT PERMEABILITY REDUCTION OF THE FORMATION ROCK, AND THEN INJECTING A SECOND SOLUTION COMPRISED OF A POLYMER THAT WILL NOT SUBSTANTIALLY EFFECT FURTHER PERMEABILITY REDUCTION OF THE FORMATION ROCK BUT OF A SUFFICIENT POLYMER CONCENTRATION TO IMPART INCREASED VISCOSITY TO THE POLYMER SOLUTION FOR MORE FAVORABLE MOBILITY CONTROL IN THE DISPLACEMENT OF HDROCARBON FROM THE FORMATION.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
IN A PROCESS OF RECOVERING HYDROCARBON FROM A HYDROCARBON-BEARING SUBTERRENEAN FORMATION HAVING AT LEAST ONE INJECTION MEANS IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH AT LEAST ONE PRODUCTION MEANS AND WHEREIN POLYMER SOLUTION IS INJECTED INTO THE FORMATION TO DISPLACE HYDROCARBON TOWARD THE PRODUCTION MEANS THROUGH WHICH HYDROCARBON IS RECOVERED, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING INJECTING A FIRST SOLUTION COMPRISED OF A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFRM MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYMER OF SUFFICIENT CONCENTRATION AND SUFFICIENT MOLECULAR WEIGHT TO SUBSTANTIALLY EFFECT PERMEABILITY REDUCTION OF THE FORMATION ROCK, AND THEN INJECTING A SECOND SOLUTION COMPRISED OF A POLYMER THAT WILL NOT SUBSTANTIALLY EFFECT FURTHER PERMEABILITY REDUCTION OF THE FORMATION ROCK BUT OF A SUFFICIENT POLYMER CONCENTRATION TO IMPART INCREASED VISCOSITY TO THE POLYMER SOLUTION FOR MORE FAVORABLE MOBILITY CONTROL IN THE DISPLACEMENT OF HDROCARBON FROM THE FORMATION.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the average molecular weight of the polymer within the first solution is greater than about 10,000,000 and the average permeability of the formation rock is above about 150 md.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
injecting about 10 to about 100 percent formation pore volume of a second aqueous polymer solution containing a polymer having an average molecular weight of about 500,000 to about 10,000,000, the molecular weight not being high enough to substantially effect permeability reduction of the formation rock, and the polymer in sufficient concentration to impart favorable mobility control, and
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
injecting about 10 to about 100 percent formation pore volume of a second aqueous polymer solution containing a polymer having an average molecular weight of about 500,000 to about 10,000,000, the molecular weight not being high enough to substantially effect permeability reduction of the formation rock, and the polymer in sufficient concentration to impart favorable mobility control, and
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
displacing the aqueous polymer solutions of ''''1)'''' and ''''2)'''' toward the production means to recover hydrocarbon therethrough.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
displacing the aqueous polymer solutions of ''''1)'''' and ''''2)'''' toward the production means to recover hydrocarbon therethrough.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the polymer within the first solution is a partially hydrolyzed, high molecular weight polyacrylamide or copolymer of acrylamide and sodium acrylate or acrylic acid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 3 wherein the polyacrylamide is present at a concentration of about 100 to about 2,000 ppm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the polymer within the second solution is a partially hydrolyzed, high molecular weight polyacrylamide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the polyacrylamide has a molecular weight of about 500,000 to about 10,000,000.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the concentration of polyacrylamide is about 100 to about 2,000 ppm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the polymer within the second solutIon is a biopolymer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the biopolymer is a polysaccharide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the polymer within the second solution is an N-sulfohydrocarbon substituted acrylamide polymer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the injection of the first solution is preceded by an injection of a miscible or miscible-like flooding agent.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the miscible flooding agent is a micellar dispersion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
60 words
An improved process for effecting mobility control in a process for recovering hydrocarbon from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation wherein an aqueous polymer solution is injected into the formation through an injection means and displaced toward a production means to recover hydrocarbon therethrough and wherein the formation rock has an average permeability of at least about 25 md, the improved process comprising:
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
60 words
An improved process for effecting mobility control in a process for recovering hydrocarbon from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation wherein an aqueous polymer solution is injected into the formation through an injection means and displaced toward a production means to recover hydrocarbon therethrough and wherein the formation rock has an average permeability of at least about 25 md, the improved process comprising:
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the polymer within the aqueous polymer solution of step ''''1)'''' is a partially hydrolyzed, high molecular weight polyacrylamide.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the polymer within the aqueous polymer solution of step ''''2)'''' is a biopolymer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 15 wherein the biopolymer is a polysaccharide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the polymer within the aqueous polymer solution of step ''''2)'''' is an N-sulfohydrocarbon substituted acrylamide polymer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 13 wherein step ''''1)'''' is preceded by an injection of a miscible or miscible-like flooding agent.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 18 wherein the miscible-like flooding agent is a micellar dispersion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3724545A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-25 | 1978-05-27 | 1978-11-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-25 | 1982-05-27 | 1982-11-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-25 | 1986-05-27 | 1986-11-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |