Patent US4018434A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4039028A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Mobility control of aqueous fluids in porous media
Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
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Filing: 1975-11-03
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Granted: 1977-08-02
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Expires: 1995-11-03
Abstract
Abstract A composition and method for providing improved mobility control in secondary and tertiary recovery processes obtained by injecting into a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation, as part of the secondary or tertiary recovery fluid, an aqueous solution of a mixture of a heteropolysaccharide produced by bacteria of the genus Xanthomonas together with a polyacrylamide or a chemically altered derivative of a polyacrylamide.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert K. Knight
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 16:30
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/60; C09K8/84; C09K8/86; C09K8/88; C09K8/90; C09K8/905; C09K8/58; C09K8/588; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S507/00; Y10S507/935; Y10S507/936
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
In the process of recovering oil from an oil-bearing subterranean formation wherein a micellar dispersion is injected into the formation through an injection well and displaced toward a production well in fluid communication with the formation, the improvement comprising injecting either ahead, behind or both ahead and behind the micellar dispersion from 0.05 to 1 pore volume of a slug of an aqueous liquid containing from 0.005 to 5 weight percent of a polymer mixture comprising 25 to 75 weight percent of a heteropolysaccharide produced by the species Xanthomonas campestris and 75 to 25 weight percent of a partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide wherein from about 12 to about 45 percent of the carboxamide groups of the polyacrylamide have been hydrolyzed to carboxyl groups, and following with the injection of sufficient drive fluid to displace these slugs toward the production well.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
In the process of recovering oil from an oil-bearing subterranean formation wherein a micellar dispersion is injected into the formation through an injection well and displaced toward a production well in fluid communication with the formation, the improvement comprising injecting either ahead, behind or both ahead and behind the micellar dispersion from 0.05 to 1 pore volume of a slug of an aqueous liquid containing from 0.005 to 5 weight percent of a polymer mixture comprising 25 to 75 weight percent of a heteropolysaccharide produced by the species Xanthomonas campestris and 75 to 25 weight percent of a partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide wherein from about 12 to about 45 percent of the carboxamide groups of the polyacrylamide have been hydrolyzed to carboxyl groups, and following with the injection of sufficient drive fluid to displace these slugs toward the production well.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process as defined in claim 1 wherein the aqueous liquid is fresh water or brine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process defined in claim 1 wherein the heteropolysaccharide is B-1459.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
116 words
In a process for recovering petroleum from a subterranean oil-bearing formation which comprisses introducing into an input well penetrating said formation a flooding medium comprising an aqueous solution of a water-soluble organic polymer and forcing said medium through said formation towards at least one output well penetrating said formation at a distance from said input well, the improvement which consists in employing as the water-soluble organic polymer from 0.005 to 5 weight percent of a mixture of from 25 to 75 weight percent of a heteropolysaccharide produced by the genus Xanthomonas and 75 to 25 weight percent of a polyacrylamide or a chemically altered polyacrylamide having a molecular weight of above about 0.2 ×10 6 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
116 words
In a process for recovering petroleum from a subterranean oil-bearing formation which comprisses introducing into an input well penetrating said formation a flooding medium comprising an aqueous solution of a water-soluble organic polymer and forcing said medium through said formation towards at least one output well penetrating said formation at a distance from said input well, the improvement which consists in employing as the water-soluble organic polymer from 0.005 to 5 weight percent of a mixture of from 25 to 75 weight percent of a heteropolysaccharide produced by the genus Xanthomonas and 75 to 25 weight percent of a polyacrylamide or a chemically altered polyacrylamide having a molecular weight of above about 0.2 ×10 6 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process as defined in claim 4 wherein the heteropolysaccharide is produced by the species Xanthomonas campestris.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process as defined in claim 5 wherein the heteropolysaccharide is B-1459.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process as defined in claim 4 wherein the chemically altered polyacrylamide is a partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process as defined in claim 7 wherein from about 12 to about 45 percent of the carboxamide groups of the polyacrylamide have been hydrolyzed to carboxyl groups.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process as defined in claim 4 wherein said aqueous solution is a fresh water or brine solution.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
132 words
In the process of recovering oil from an oilbearing formation wherein a micellar dispersion is injected into the formation through an injection well and displaced toward a production well in fluid communication with the formation, the improvement comprising injecting either ahead, behind or both ahead and behind the micellar dispersion from 0.05 to 1 pore volume of a slug of an aqueous solution containing from 0.005 to 5 weight percent of a polymer mixture comprising from 25 to 75 weight percent of a heteropolysaccharide produced by the genus Xanthomonas and 75 to 25 weight percent of a polyacrylamide or a chemically altered polyacrylamide having a molecular weight of above about 0.2 × 10 6 , and following with the injection of sufficent drive fluid to displace these slugs toward the production well.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
132 words
In the process of recovering oil from an oilbearing formation wherein a micellar dispersion is injected into the formation through an injection well and displaced toward a production well in fluid communication with the formation, the improvement comprising injecting either ahead, behind or both ahead and behind the micellar dispersion from 0.05 to 1 pore volume of a slug of an aqueous solution containing from 0.005 to 5 weight percent of a polymer mixture comprising from 25 to 75 weight percent of a heteropolysaccharide produced by the genus Xanthomonas and 75 to 25 weight percent of a polyacrylamide or a chemically altered polyacrylamide having a molecular weight of above about 0.2 × 10 6 , and following with the injection of sufficent drive fluid to displace these slugs toward the production well.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process as defined in claim 10 wherein the heteropolysaccharide is produced by the species Xanthomonas campestris.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process as defined in claim 10 wherein the chemically altered polyacrylamide is a partially hydrolyzed acrylamide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process as defined in claim 10 wherein the aqueous solution is a fresh water or brine solution.
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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) | 1980-08-01 | 1981-01-31 | 1981-08-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-08-01 | 1985-01-31 | 1985-08-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-08-01 | 1989-01-31 | 1989-08-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |