Patent US3876002A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3876002A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Waterflooding process
Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
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Filing: 1974-04-01
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Granted: 1975-04-08
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Expires: 1994-04-01
Abstract
Abstract A method for reducing the channeling of flood water through heterogeneous petroleum reservoirs in which a stable oil-in-water emulsion formed by emulsifying crude oil with alkaline alkali metal silicate is injected into the reservoir through one or more injection wells, and followed by the subsequent injection of flood water. The injection of emulsion can be repeated at intervals throughout the waterflooding operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Amir M Sarem
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 19:36
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A process for recovering petroleum from a subterranean reservoir 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 an oil-in-water emulsion of (1) a crude petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH and (2) a dilute aqueous solution of alkaline alkali metal silicate having a molar ratio of M.sub.2 O/SiO.sub.1 of 1 or above wherein M is an alkali metal atom; and thereafter injecting an aqueous flooding medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
A process for recovering petroleum from a subterranean reservoir 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 an oil-in-water emulsion of (1) a crude petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH and (2) a dilute aqueous solution of alkaline alkali metal silicate having a molar ratio of M.sub.2 O/SiO.sub.1 of 1 or above wherein M is an alkali metal atom; and thereafter injecting an aqueous flooding medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said emulsion injected into said reservoir is characterized by an emulsion stability factor above about 20.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said emulsion is comprised of about 0.3 to 3 volumes of said crude petroleum per volume of said alkaline alkali metal silicate solution.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein the concentration of said alkaline alkali metal silicate in said aqueous solution is adjusted to provide a pH sufficient to reduce the interfacial tension between said petroleum and water to less than about 5 dynes/cm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said alkaline alkali metal silicate is sodium or potassium orthosilicate, sodium or potassium meta silicate, sodium or potassium meta silicate pentahydrate, or sodium or potassium sesquisilicate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
153 words
A process for recovering petroleum from a subterranean reservoir penetrated by one or more injection wells and at least one production well spaced apart in the reservoir, which comprises: preparing an oil-in-water emulsion having an emulsion stability factor above about 20 by admixing (1) crude petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH and (2) a dilute aqueous solution of an alkaline alkali metal silicate having a molar ratio of M.sub.2 O/SiO.sub.2 of 1 or above wherein M is an alkali metal atom, said ingredients being in the proportion of about 0.3 to 3 volumes of crude petroleum per volume of said alkaline alkali metal silicate solution; injecting through at least one of said injection wells and into said reservoir about 10 to 70 barrels of said emulsion per vertical foot of thickness of said reservoir; thereafter injecting aqueous flooding medium; and recovering petroleum from said production wells.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
153 words
A process for recovering petroleum from a subterranean reservoir penetrated by one or more injection wells and at least one production well spaced apart in the reservoir, which comprises: preparing an oil-in-water emulsion having an emulsion stability factor above about 20 by admixing (1) crude petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH and (2) a dilute aqueous solution of an alkaline alkali metal silicate having a molar ratio of M.sub.2 O/SiO.sub.2 of 1 or above wherein M is an alkali metal atom, said ingredients being in the proportion of about 0.3 to 3 volumes of crude petroleum per volume of said alkaline alkali metal silicate solution; injecting through at least one of said injection wells and into said reservoir about 10 to 70 barrels of said emulsion per vertical foot of thickness of said reservoir; thereafter injecting aqueous flooding medium; and recovering petroleum from said production wells.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method defined in claim 6 wherein the concentration of said alkaline alkali metal silicate in said aqueous solution is adjusted to provide a pH sufficient to reduce the interfacial tension between said petroleum and water to less than about 5 dynes/cm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method defined in claim 6 wherein said alkaline alkali metal silicate is sodium or potassium orthosilicate, sodium or potassium meta silicate, sodium or potassium meta silicate pentahydrate, or sodium or potassium sesquisilicate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method defined in claim 6 including the steps of immediately preceding and following the injection of said emulsion by the injection of about 1 to 10 barrels per vertical foot of low salt-content water.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
158 words
A process for recovering petroleum from a subterranean reservoir penetrated by one or more injection wells and at least one production well spaced apart in the reservoir, which comprises: preparing an oil-in-water emulsion having an emulsion stability factor above about 20 by admixing (1) crude petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH and (2) an aqueous solution containing an amount of sodium orthosilicate between about 0.01 and 0.8 weight percent sufficient to reduce the interfacial tension between said crude petroleum and water to less than about 5 dynes/cm, said ingredients being in the proportion of about 0.3 to 3 volumes of said crude petroleum per volume of said sodium orthosilicate solution; injecting through at least one of said injection wells and into said reservoir about 10 to 70 barrels of said emulsion per vertical foot of thickness of said reservoir; thereafter injecting aqueous flooding medium; and recovering petroleum from said production wells.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
158 words
A process for recovering petroleum from a subterranean reservoir penetrated by one or more injection wells and at least one production well spaced apart in the reservoir, which comprises: preparing an oil-in-water emulsion having an emulsion stability factor above about 20 by admixing (1) crude petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH and (2) an aqueous solution containing an amount of sodium orthosilicate between about 0.01 and 0.8 weight percent sufficient to reduce the interfacial tension between said crude petroleum and water to less than about 5 dynes/cm, said ingredients being in the proportion of about 0.3 to 3 volumes of said crude petroleum per volume of said sodium orthosilicate solution; injecting through at least one of said injection wells and into said reservoir about 10 to 70 barrels of said emulsion per vertical foot of thickness of said reservoir; thereafter injecting aqueous flooding medium; and recovering petroleum from said production wells.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
155 words
A method for improving the injection profile of flooding medium injected into a heterogeneous subterranean formation having strata of varying permeabilities penetrated by an injection well wherein the flooding medium preferentially enters the more permeable of said strata, which comprises: preparing an oil-in-water emulsion having an emulsion stability factor above about 20 by admixing (1) crude petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH and (2) a dilute aqueous solution of an alkaline alkali metal silicate having a molar ratio of M.sub.2 O/SiO.sub.2 of 1 or above wherein M is an alkali metal atom, said ingredients being in the proportion of about 0.3 to 3 volumes of crude petroleum per volume of said alkaline alkali metal silicate solution; injecting through said injection well and into said reservoir about 10 to 70 barrels of said emulsion per vertical foot of thickness of said reservoir; and thereafter injecting said aqueous flooding medium.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
155 words
A method for improving the injection profile of flooding medium injected into a heterogeneous subterranean formation having strata of varying permeabilities penetrated by an injection well wherein the flooding medium preferentially enters the more permeable of said strata, which comprises: preparing an oil-in-water emulsion having an emulsion stability factor above about 20 by admixing (1) crude petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH and (2) a dilute aqueous solution of an alkaline alkali metal silicate having a molar ratio of M.sub.2 O/SiO.sub.2 of 1 or above wherein M is an alkali metal atom, said ingredients being in the proportion of about 0.3 to 3 volumes of crude petroleum per volume of said alkaline alkali metal silicate solution; injecting through said injection well and into said reservoir about 10 to 70 barrels of said emulsion per vertical foot of thickness of said reservoir; and thereafter injecting said aqueous flooding medium.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein the concentration of said alkaline alkali metal silicate in said aqueous solution is adjusted to provide a pH sufficient to reduce the interfacial tension between said petroleum and water to less than about 5 dynes/cm.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method defined in claim 11 wherein said alkaline alkali metal silicate is sodium or potassium orthosilicate, sodium or potassium meta silicate, sodium or potassium meta silicate pentahydrate, or sodium or potassium sesquisilicate.
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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) | 1978-04-07 | 1978-10-07 | 1979-04-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-07 | 1982-10-07 | 1983-04-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-07 | 1986-10-07 | 1987-04-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |