US3908760A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of treating subterranean formations with aqueous gels
Assignee: Drilling Specialties Co
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Filing: 1973-10-09
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Granted: 1975-09-30
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Expires: 1993-10-09
Abstract
Abstract Improvements in secondary recovery operations for the recovery of oil, and other oil field operations wherein subterranean formations are contacted with a fluid medium, are accomplished through the use of aqueous mediums comprising new aqueous gels prepared from water and biopolysaccharides.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard L Clampitt
- 👤 James E Hessert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 07:38
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/60; C09K8/84; C09K8/86; C09K8/88; C09K8/887; C09K8/02; C09K8/04; C09K8/06; C09K8/08; C09K8/62; C09K8/66; C09K8/68; C09K8/685; C09K8/90; C09K8/905
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
IN A METHOD WHEREIN A FLUID MEDIUM IS INTRODUCED INTO A BOREHOLE IN THE EARTH AND INTO CONTACT WITH A SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION PENETRATED BY SAID BOREHOLE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN AT LAST A PORTION OF SAID FLUID MEDIUM COMPRISES AN AQUEOUS GEL, AND WHEREIN SAID GEL COMPRISES WATER HAVING INCORPORATED THEREIN, A WATER THICKNESS AMOUNT OF A WATER- SOLUBLE BIOPOLYSACCHARIDE PRODUCED BY THE ACTION OF BACTERIA OF THE GENUS XANTHOMONAS ON A CARBONYDRATE, AN AMOUNT OF A WATER-SOLUBLE COMPOUND OF A POLYVALENT METAL WHEREIN THE METAL PRESENT IS CAPABLE OF BEING REDUCED TO A LOWER POLYVALENT VALENCE AND WHICH AMOUNT IS SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE GELATION OF SAID WATER WHEN THE VALENCE OF AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID METAL IS REDUCED TO SAID LOWER VALENCE STATE, AND AN AMOUNT OF A WATER-SOLUBLE REDUCING AGENT WHICH IS EFFECTIVE TO REDUCED AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID METAL TO SAID LOWER VALENCE STATE.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
IN A METHOD WHEREIN A FLUID MEDIUM IS INTRODUCED INTO A BOREHOLE IN THE EARTH AND INTO CONTACT WITH A SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION PENETRATED BY SAID BOREHOLE, THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN AT LAST A PORTION OF SAID FLUID MEDIUM COMPRISES AN AQUEOUS GEL, AND WHEREIN SAID GEL COMPRISES WATER HAVING INCORPORATED THEREIN, A WATER THICKNESS AMOUNT OF A WATER- SOLUBLE BIOPOLYSACCHARIDE PRODUCED BY THE ACTION OF BACTERIA OF THE GENUS XANTHOMONAS ON A CARBONYDRATE, AN AMOUNT OF A WATER-SOLUBLE COMPOUND OF A POLYVALENT METAL WHEREIN THE METAL PRESENT IS CAPABLE OF BEING REDUCED TO A LOWER POLYVALENT VALENCE AND WHICH AMOUNT IS SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE GELATION OF SAID WATER WHEN THE VALENCE OF AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID METAL IS REDUCED TO SAID LOWER VALENCE STATE, AND AN AMOUNT OF A WATER-SOLUBLE REDUCING AGENT WHICH IS EFFECTIVE TO REDUCED AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID METAL TO SAID LOWER VALENCE STATE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
77 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said aqueous gel comprises water having incorporated therein: from 0.0025 to 5 weight percent of said polysaccharide, based upon the weight of said water; from 0.1 to 60 weight percent of said polyvalent metal compound based upon the weight of said polysaccharide; from 0.1 to at least about 200 percent of the stoichiometric amount of said reducing agent required to reduce said polyvalent metal to said lower polyvalent valence state.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein said compound of polyvalent metal is a compound of chromium wherein the valence of the chromium is +6 and the valence of at least a portion of said chromium is reduced to +3.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 3 wherein said chromium compound is selected from the group consisting of ammonium chromate, ammonium dichromate, the alkali metal chromates and dichromates, chromium trioxide, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method according to claim 4 wherein said reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of hydroquinone, sodium sulfide, hydrogen sulfide, sodium hydrosulfite, potassium hydrosulfite, sodium metabisulfite, potassium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, potassium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, sodium sulfite, sodium thiosulfate, potassium thiosulfate, ferrous sulfate, ferrous chloride, p-hydrazinobenzoic acid, hydrazine phosphite, hydrazine dihydrochloride, thioacetamide and mixtures thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to claim 2 wherein: said polysaccharide has been produced by Xanthomonas campestris; said polyvalent metal compound is sodium dichromate; and said reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium or potassium hydrosulfite, sodium or potassium sulfite, sodium or potassium bisulfite, sodium or potassium metabisulfite, sodium or potassium thiosulfate, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 6 wherein: the amount of said polysaccharide is within the range of from 0.025 to 1 weight percent; and the amount of said polyvalent metal compound is within the range of from about 4 to 30 weight percent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said polysaccharide is one produced by Xanthomonas campestris.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
85 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein: said borehole comprises an injection well; said formation comprises an oil bearing formation and is also penetrated by a production well; said method is a fluid drive process carried out for the recovery of oil from said formation by injecting a drive fluid iNto said formation via said injection well and driving oil to said production well; and said fluid medium comprising said aqueous gel is introduced into said injection well and into the pores of said formation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein: said formation is of nonuniform permeability and comprises at least one zone of relatively high permeability and at least one zone of relatively low permeability; and said fluid medium is injected into said formation prior to injecting drive fluid into said formation via said injection well in said fluid drive process for driving said oil to said production well.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
77 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein said aqueous gel comprises water having incorporated therein: from 0.025 to 1 weight percent of said polysaccharide, based upon the weight of said water; from 0.5 to 30 weight percent of said polyvalent metal compound based upon the weight of said polysaccharide; from 0.5 to at least about 150 percent of the stoichiometric amount of said reducing agent required to reduce said polyvalent metal to said lower polyvalent valence state.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method according to claim 11 wherein: said polysaccharide has been produced by Xanthomonas campestris; said polyvalent metal compound is sodium or potassium dichromate; and said reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium or potassium hydrosulfite, sodium or potassium sulfite, sodium or potassium bisulfite, sodium or potassium metabisulfite, sodium or potassium thiosulfate, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method according to claim 9 wherein: said formation is of nonuniform permeability and comprises at least one zone of relatively high permeability and at least one zone of relatively low permeability; and said fluid medium is injected into said formation subsequent to having injected a drive fluid into said formation via said injection well in said fluid drive process for driving said oil to said production well.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method according to claim 13 wherein said aqueous gel comprises water having incorporated therein: from 0.025 to 1 weight percent of said polysaccharide, based upon the weight of said water; from 0.5 to 30 weight percent of said polyvalent metal compound based upon the weight of said polysaccharide; and from 0.5 to at least about 150 percent of the stoichiometric amount of said reducing agent required to reduce said polyvalent metal to said lower polyvalent valence state.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to claim 14 wherein: said polysaccharide has been produced by Xanthomonas campestris; said polyvalent metal compound is sodium dichromate; and said reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium or potassium hydrosulfite, sodium or potassium sulfite, sodium or potassium bisulfite, sodium or potassium metabisulfite, sodium or potassium thiosulfate, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein: said method comprises a method for drilling a said borehole into the earth; a drill bit is actuated in said borehole in contact with said formation and penetrates same in the presence of said fluid medium; and said fluid medium, together with formation solids entrained therein, is removed from said borehole.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method according to claim 16 wherein said aqueous gel comprises water having incorporated therein: from 0.025 to 1 weight percent of said polysaccharide, based upon the weight of said water; from 4 to 30 weight percent of said polyvalent metal compound based upon the weight of said polysaccharide; and from 0.1 to at least about 200 percent of the stoichiometric amount of said reducing agent required to reduce said polyvalent metal to said lower polyvalent valence state.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method according to claim 17 wherein: said polysaccharide has been produced by Xanthomonas campestris; said polYvalent metal compound is sodium dichromate; and said reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium or potassium hydrosulfite, sodium or potassium sulfite, sodium or potassium bisulfite, sodium or potassium metabisulfite, sodium or potassium thiosulfate, and mixtures thereof.
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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) | 1978-09-29 | 1979-03-31 | 1979-09-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-29 | 1983-03-31 | 1983-09-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-29 | 1987-03-31 | 1987-09-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |