US3920074A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for improving the injectivity of water injection wells
Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
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Filing: 1974-04-19
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Granted: 1975-11-18
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Expires: 1994-04-19
Abstract
Abstract The injection rate of water into water injection wells that exhibit low injectivity because of oil saturation in the formation adjacent to the well can be increased by introducing a small quantity of a dilute aqueous solution of alkaline alkali metal silicate through the injection well, and thereafter displacing this solution into the formation with subsequently injected flood water. The dilute aqueous alkaline alkali metal silicate solution can be injected as an oil-in-water emulsion of the solution and a crude petroleum of the type that exhibits reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH.
Inventors
- 👤 Amir M Sarem
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 15:10
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
IN THE METHOD FOR RECOVERING OIL FROM A SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION WHEREIN FLOOD WATER IS INJECTED THROUGH AN INJECTION WELL AND OIL IS RECOVERED FROM ONE OR MORE SPACED PRODUCTION WELLS, AND WHEREIN THE INJECTION OF SAID FLOOD WATER IS ESTRICTED BY THE PRESENCE OF OIL IN THE FORMATION ADJACENT TO THE INJECTION WELL, THE IMPROVEMENTS WHICH COMPRISES INTRODICING THROUGH SAID INJECTION WELL ABOUT 0.1 TO 10 BARRELS PER FOOT OF VERTICAL THICKNESS OF SAID FORMATION OF A DILUTE AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF AN ALKALINE ALKALI METAL SILICATE CONTAINING ABOUT 0.005 TO 0.8 WEIGHT PERCENT OF SAID ALKALINE ALKALI METAL SILICATE AND HAVING A MOLAR RATIO OF M2O/SIOS OF 1 OR ABOVE WHEREIN M IS AN ALKALI METAL ATOM, AND THEREAFTER INJECTING FLOOD WATER TO DISPLACE SAID SOLUTION INTO THE FORMATION.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
IN THE METHOD FOR RECOVERING OIL FROM A SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION WHEREIN FLOOD WATER IS INJECTED THROUGH AN INJECTION WELL AND OIL IS RECOVERED FROM ONE OR MORE SPACED PRODUCTION WELLS, AND WHEREIN THE INJECTION OF SAID FLOOD WATER IS ESTRICTED BY THE PRESENCE OF OIL IN THE FORMATION ADJACENT TO THE INJECTION WELL, THE IMPROVEMENTS WHICH COMPRISES INTRODICING THROUGH SAID INJECTION WELL ABOUT 0.1 TO 10 BARRELS PER FOOT OF VERTICAL THICKNESS OF SAID FORMATION OF A DILUTE AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF AN ALKALINE ALKALI METAL SILICATE CONTAINING ABOUT 0.005 TO 0.8 WEIGHT PERCENT OF SAID ALKALINE ALKALI METAL SILICATE AND HAVING A MOLAR RATIO OF M2O/SIOS OF 1 OR ABOVE WHEREIN M IS AN ALKALI METAL ATOM, AND THEREAFTER INJECTING FLOOD WATER TO DISPLACE SAID SOLUTION INTO THE FORMATION.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein sufficient aqueous alkali metal silicate solution is injected to remove oil from said formation to a distance of about 5 to 10 feet from said injection well.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method defined in claim 1 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 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said aqueous alkali metal silicate solution is injected in the form of an oil-in-water emulsion of said solution and a crude petroleum of the type that exhibits reduced interfacial tension at high pH.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method defined in claim 4 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 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method defined in claim 4 wherein said emulsion is characterized by an emulsion stability factor above about 20.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for improving the injectivity of water into a porous subterranean oil-bearing formation penetrated by a water injection well which comprises: introducing through said injection well about 0.1 to 10 barrels per foot of vertical thickness of said formation of a dilute aqueous solution containing about 0.005 to 0.8 weight percent of an alkaline alkali metal silicate having a molar ratio of M2O/SiO2 of 1 or above wherein M is an alkali metal atom; and thereafter injecting water into said formation through said injection well.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
86 words
A method for improving the injectivity of water into a porous subterranean oil-bearing formation penetrated by a water injection well which comprises: introducing through said injection well about 0.1 to 10 barrels per foot of vertical thickness of said formation of a dilute aqueous solution containing about 0.005 to 0.8 weight percent of an alkaline alkali metal silicate having a molar ratio of M2O/SiO2 of 1 or above wherein M is an alkali metal atom; and thereafter injecting water into said formation through said injection well.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method 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 11
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method defined in claim 7 wherein said aqueous alkali metal silicate solution is injected in the form of an emulsion comprised of about 0.3 to 3 volumes of a crude petroleum of the type that exhibits reduced interfacial tension at high pH per volume of said aqueous alkali metal silicate solution, said emulsion is characterized by an emulsion stability factor above about 20.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
90 words
A method for improving the injectivity of water into a porous subterranean oil-bearing formation penetrated by a water injection well, which comprises: injecting water through said injection well about 0.1 to 10 barrels per foot of vertical thickness of said formation of a dilute aqueous solution containing about 0.005 to 0.8 weight percent of an alkaline alkali metal silicate having a molar ratio of M2O/SiO2 of 1 or above wherein M is an alkali metal atom; and thereafter injecting water at an injection rate higher than said first injection rate.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
90 words
A method for improving the injectivity of water into a porous subterranean oil-bearing formation penetrated by a water injection well, which comprises: injecting water through said injection well about 0.1 to 10 barrels per foot of vertical thickness of said formation of a dilute aqueous solution containing about 0.005 to 0.8 weight percent of an alkaline alkali metal silicate having a molar ratio of M2O/SiO2 of 1 or above wherein M is an alkali metal atom; and thereafter injecting water at an injection rate higher than said first injection rate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method defined in claim 10 wherein said alkaline alkali metal silicate is sodium or potassium orthosilicate, sodium or potassium metasilicate, sodium or potassium metasilicate pentahydrate, or potassium sesquisilicate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method defined in claim 10 wherein said aqueous alkali metal silicate solution is injected in the form of an emulsion comprised of about 0.3 to 3 volumes of a crude petroleum of the type that exhibits reduced interfacial tension at high pH per volume of said aqueous alkali metal silicate solution, and wherein said emulsion is characterized by an emulsion stability factor above about 20.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2920041A
Cited
US3777817A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-17 | 1979-05-19 | 1979-11-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-17 | 1983-05-19 | 1983-11-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-17 | 1987-05-19 | 1987-11-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |