US3871452A — Mobility controlled caustic flooding process for …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 128 words

A PROCESS FOR RECOVERING PETROLEUM FROM SUBTERRANEAN RESERVOIRS HAVING CONNATE WATER CONTAINING DISSOLVED DIVALENT METAL CATIONS AND PENETRATED BY ONE OR MORE INJECTION WELLS AND AT LEAST ONE PRODUCTION WELL SPACED APART IN THE RESERVOIR, WHICH COMPRISES INJECTING THROUGH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID INJECTION WELLS AND INTO SAID RESERVOIR SMALL SLUGS OF (1) AQUEOUS ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE SOLUTION, (2) A DILUTE AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF AN ALKALI METAL SILICATE HAVING A MOLAR RATIO OF 09M2O.SIO2 OF 1 OR ABOVE WHEREIN M IS AN ALKALI METAL ATOM, (3) WATER, (4) A DILUTE AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A WATER-SOLUBLE MATERIAL THAT REACTS WITH THE ALKALINE ALKALI METAL SILICATE TO FORM A PRECIPITATE, AND (5) WATER; REPEATING STEPS 1 THROUGH 5 A PLURAITY OF TIMES; AND RECOVERING PETROLEUM FROM SAID PRODUCTION WELL.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 128 words

A PROCESS FOR RECOVERING PETROLEUM FROM SUBTERRANEAN RESERVOIRS HAVING CONNATE WATER CONTAINING DISSOLVED DIVALENT METAL CATIONS AND PENETRATED BY ONE OR MORE INJECTION WELLS AND AT LEAST ONE PRODUCTION WELL SPACED APART IN THE RESERVOIR, WHICH COMPRISES INJECTING THROUGH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID INJECTION WELLS AND INTO SAID RESERVOIR SMALL SLUGS OF (1) AQUEOUS ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE SOLUTION, (2) A DILUTE AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF AN ALKALI METAL SILICATE HAVING A MOLAR RATIO OF 09M2O.SIO2 OF 1 OR ABOVE WHEREIN M IS AN ALKALI METAL ATOM, (3) WATER, (4) A DILUTE AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A WATER-SOLUBLE MATERIAL THAT REACTS WITH THE ALKALINE ALKALI METAL SILICATE TO FORM A PRECIPITATE, AND (5) WATER; REPEATING STEPS 1 THROUGH 5 A PLURAITY OF TIMES; AND RECOVERING PETROLEUM FROM SAID PRODUCTION WELL.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 12 words

repeating the injection sequence of step 1 a plurality of times; and

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 12 words

repeating the injection sequence of step 1 a plurality of times; and

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 47 words

The process defined in claim 1 wherein said petroleum in said reservoir is of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH, and wherein the concentration of alkaline alkali metal silicate is sufficient to reduce the interfacial tension to less than about 5 dynes/cm.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 13 words

repeating the injection cycle defined in step 1 a plurality of times; and

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 13 words

repeating the injection cycle defined in step 1 a plurality of times; and

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 8 words

simultaneously therewith recovering petroleum from said production well.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 8 words

simultaneously therewith recovering petroleum from said production well.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 30 words

The process defined in claim 1 wherein said petroleum in said reservoir is a viscous petroleum having a viscosity above about 5 centipoises at reservoir conditions of temperature and pressure.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 8 words

simultaneously therewith recovering petroleum from said production well.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 8 words

simultaneously therewith recovering petroleum from said production well.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 25 words

The process defined in claim 1 wherein said reservoir is a heterogeneous reservoir having strata of different permeabilities varying by more than about 50 millidarcies.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 19 words

The process defined in claim 1 wherein alkali metal carbonate is incorporated into the aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 23 words

The process defined in claim 1 including the step of injecting aqueous alkali meTal carbonate solution immediately prededing the alkali metal hydroxide solution.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 51 words

A process for recovering petroleum of the type that exhibits decreased interfacial tension with water at high pH from a subterranean reservoir having connate water containing dissolved divalent metal cations and penetrated by one or more injection wells and at least one production well spaced apart in the reservoir, which comprises:

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 51 words

A process for recovering petroleum of the type that exhibits decreased interfacial tension with water at high pH from a subterranean reservoir having connate water containing dissolved divalent metal cations and penetrated by one or more injection wells and at least one production well spaced apart in the reservoir, which comprises:

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 26 words

The process defined in claim 7 wherein said aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution is a 0.1 to 10 weight percent solution of an alkali metal hydroxide.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process defined in claim 8 wherein said alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 18 words

The process defined in claim 7 wherein said aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution is a spent caustic solution.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 25 words

The process defined in claim 7 wherein 1 to 10 weight percent of alkali metal carbonate is incorporated into the aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process defined in claim 11 wherein said alkali metal carbonate is sodium carbonate or potassium carbonate.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 30 words

The process defined in claim 7 including the step of injecting an aqueous 1 to 10 weight percent solution of alkali metal carbonate immediately preceding the alkali metal hydroxide solution.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process defined in claim 13 wherein said alkali metal carbonate is sodium carbonate or potassium carbonate.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 31 words

The process defined in claim 7 wherein said alkaline alkali metal silicate is sodium or potassium orthosilicate, sodium or potassium metasilicate, sodium or potassium metasilicate pentahydrate, or sodium or potassium sesquisilicate.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 24 words

The process defined in claim 7 wherein said material that reacts with said alkali metal silicate is a water-soluble salt of a divalent metal.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 59 words

The process defined in claim 7 wherein said aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution, said aqueous alkaline alkali metal silicate solution, and said aqueous reactant solution are injected in each cycle for a period of about 1 hour to about 7 days, and said water slugs are each injected for a period of about 1 hour to about 1 day.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 51 words

A process for recovering petroleum of the type that exhibits decreased interfacial tension with water at high pH from a subterranean reservoir having connate water containing dissolved divalent metal cations and penetrated by one or more injection wells and at least one production well spaced apart in the reservoir, which comprises:

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 51 words

A process for recovering petroleum of the type that exhibits decreased interfacial tension with water at high pH from a subterranean reservoir having connate water containing dissolved divalent metal cations and penetrated by one or more injection wells and at least one production well spaced apart in the reservoir, which comprises:

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-03-17	1978-09-16	1979-03-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-03-17	1982-09-16	1983-03-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-03-17	1986-09-16	1987-03-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Mobility controlled caustic flooding process for reservoirs containing dissolved divalent metal cations

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