Patent US4113632A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4113632A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Oil recovery by surfactant waterflooding
Assignee: Mobil Oil AS
•
Filing: 1977-02-18
•
Granted: 1978-09-12
•
Expires: 1997-02-18
Abstract
Abstract Waterflooding process for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir which involves the injection into the reservoir of an aqueous solution of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate or its corresponding succinamic acid derivative. This surfactant functions to reduce the oil-water interfacial tension and also functions in the presence of divalent metal ions, such as calcium or magnesium, as a thickening agent to increase the viscosity of the injected water. In carrying out the invention in oil reservoirs in which the connate waters exhibit a divalent metal ion concentration of at least 0.2 weight percent, the surfactant may be injected in a relatively fresh water which exhibits a divalent metal ion concentration less than that of the reservoir water. Thus as the surfactant solution mixes with the reservoir water, the divalent metal ion concentration of the solution is increased with an attendant increase in its viscosity.
Inventors
- 👤 Stamoulis Stournas
- 👤 El Ahmadi I. Heiba
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 15:40
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58; C09K8/584; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S507/00; Y10S507/935; Y10S507/936
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
In a method for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir penetrated by spaced injection and production systems in which an aqueous fluid is introduced into said reservoir via said injection system to displace oil to said production system, the improvement comprising employing as at least a portion of the fluid introduced into said injection system an aqueous solution of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate characterized by the formula ##STR7## and its corresponding succinamic acid amide derivative characterized by the formula ##STR8## wherein R is a lipophilic aliphatic group containing from 8 to 25 carbon atoms, Ar is a mononuclear or condensed ring dinuclear aryl group, M is an alkali metal ammonium or substituted ammonium ion, n is 1 or 2, and M' is the same as M or hydrogen.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
142 words
In a method for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir penetrated by spaced injection and production systems in which an aqueous fluid is introduced into said reservoir via said injection system to displace oil to said production system, the improvement comprising employing as at least a portion of the fluid introduced into said injection system an aqueous solution of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate characterized by the formula ##STR7## and its corresponding succinamic acid amide derivative characterized by the formula ##STR8## wherein R is a lipophilic aliphatic group containing from 8 to 25 carbon atoms, Ar is a mononuclear or condensed ring dinuclear aryl group, M is an alkali metal ammonium or substituted ammonium ion, n is 1 or 2, and M' is the same as M or hydrogen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said subterranean oil reservoir contains water having a divalent metal ion concentration at least 0.2 weight percent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said subterranean oil reservoir contains water having a divalent metal ion concentration of at least 0.2 weight percent and said aqueous solution is free of divalent metal ions or exhibits a divalent metal ion concentration less than that of said reservoir water.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the divalent metal ion concentration of said aqueous solution is less than 0.2 weight percent and the divalent metal ion concentration of said reservoir water is within the range of 0.2-1.5 weight percent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the divalent metal ion concentration of said reservoir water is within the range of 0.5-1.2 weight percent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein R contains from 14-22 carbon atoms and n is 1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 6 wherein R contains from 16-20 carbon atoms.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
127 words
In a method for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir penetrated by spaced injection and production systems in which an aqueous fluid is introduced into said reservoir via said injection system to displace oil to said production system, the improvement comprising employing as at least a portion of the fluid introduced into said injection system an aqueous solution of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate characterized by the formula ##STR9## and its corresponding succinamic acid amide derivative characterized by the formula ##STR10## wherein R is a lipophilic aliphatic group containing from 8 to 25 carbon atoms, M is an alkali metal ammonium or substituted ammonium ion, and M' is the same as M or hydrogen.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
127 words
In a method for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir penetrated by spaced injection and production systems in which an aqueous fluid is introduced into said reservoir via said injection system to displace oil to said production system, the improvement comprising employing as at least a portion of the fluid introduced into said injection system an aqueous solution of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate characterized by the formula ##STR9## and its corresponding succinamic acid amide derivative characterized by the formula ##STR10## wherein R is a lipophilic aliphatic group containing from 8 to 25 carbon atoms, M is an alkali metal ammonium or substituted ammonium ion, and M' is the same as M or hydrogen.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said subterranean oil reservoir contains water having a divalent metal ion concentration of at least 0.2 weight percent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said SO 3 M group is in the meta position with respect to said succinimido or said succinamic acid amide group.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 10 wherein R contains from 14-22 carbon atoms.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 10 wherein R contains from 16-20 carbon atoms.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
127 words
In a method for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir penetrated by spaced injection and production systems in which an aqueous fluid is introduced into said reservoir via said injection system to displace oil to said production system, the improvement comprising employing as at least a portion of the fluid introduced into said injection system an aqueous solution of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate characterized by the formula ##STR11## and its corresponding succinamic acid amide derivative characterized by the formula ##STR12## wherein R is a lipophilic aliphatic group containing from 14 to 22 carbon atoms, M is an alkali metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium ion, and M' is the same as M or hydrogen.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
127 words
In a method for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir penetrated by spaced injection and production systems in which an aqueous fluid is introduced into said reservoir via said injection system to displace oil to said production system, the improvement comprising employing as at least a portion of the fluid introduced into said injection system an aqueous solution of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate characterized by the formula ##STR11## and its corresponding succinamic acid amide derivative characterized by the formula ##STR12## wherein R is a lipophilic aliphatic group containing from 14 to 22 carbon atoms, M is an alkali metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium ion, and M' is the same as M or hydrogen.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said subterranean oil reservoir contains water having a divalent metal ion concentration of at least 0.2 weight percent.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 13 wherein R contains from 16-20 carbon atoms.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 13 wherein R contains 18 carbon atoms.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
122 words
In a method for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir penetrated by spaced injection and production systems in which an aqueous fluid is introduced into said reservoir via said injection system to displace oil to said production system, the improvement comprising employing as at least a portion of the fluid introduced into said injection system an aqueous solution of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate characterized by the formula ##STR13## wherein R is a lipophilic aliphatic group containing from 8 to 25 carbon atoms, Ar is a mononuclear or condensed ring dinuclear aryl group, M is an alkali metal ammonium or substituted ammonium ion, n is 1 or 2, and M' is the same as M or hydrogen.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
122 words
In a method for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir penetrated by spaced injection and production systems in which an aqueous fluid is introduced into said reservoir via said injection system to displace oil to said production system, the improvement comprising employing as at least a portion of the fluid introduced into said injection system an aqueous solution of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate characterized by the formula ##STR13## wherein R is a lipophilic aliphatic group containing from 8 to 25 carbon atoms, Ar is a mononuclear or condensed ring dinuclear aryl group, M is an alkali metal ammonium or substituted ammonium ion, n is 1 or 2, and M' is the same as M or hydrogen.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 17 wherein R contains from 14-22 carbon atoms and n is 1.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 18 wherein R contains from 16-20 carbon atoms.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a method for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir penetrated by spaced injection and production systems in which an aqueous fluid is introduced into said reservoir via said injection system to displace oil to said production system, the improvement comprising employing as at least a portion of the fluid introduced into said injection system an aqueous solution of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate characterized by the formula ##STR14## wherein R is a lipophilic aliphatic group containing from 8 to 25 carbon atoms, M is an alkali metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium ion, and M' is the same as M or hydrogen.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a method for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir penetrated by spaced injection and production systems in which an aqueous fluid is introduced into said reservoir via said injection system to displace oil to said production system, the improvement comprising employing as at least a portion of the fluid introduced into said injection system an aqueous solution of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate characterized by the formula ##STR14## wherein R is a lipophilic aliphatic group containing from 8 to 25 carbon atoms, M is an alkali metal, ammonium or substituted ammonium ion, and M' is the same as M or hydrogen.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 20 wherein said SO 3 M group is in the meta position with respect to said succinimido group.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 21 wherein R contains from 14-22 carbon atoms.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 21 wherein R contains from 16-20 carbon atoms.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a method for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir penetrated by spaced injection and production systems in which an aqueous fluid is introduced into said reservoir via said injection system to displace oil to said production system, the improvement comprising employing as at least a portion of the fluid introduced into said injection system an aqueous solution of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate characterized by the formula ##STR15## wherein R is a lipophilic aliphatic group containing from 14 to 22 carbon atoms, M is an alkali metal ammonium or substituted ammonium ion, and M' is the same as M or hydrogen.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a method for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir penetrated by spaced injection and production systems in which an aqueous fluid is introduced into said reservoir via said injection system to displace oil to said production system, the improvement comprising employing as at least a portion of the fluid introduced into said injection system an aqueous solution of an aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate characterized by the formula ##STR15## wherein R is a lipophilic aliphatic group containing from 14 to 22 carbon atoms, M is an alkali metal ammonium or substituted ammonium ion, and M' is the same as M or hydrogen.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 24 wherein R contains from 16-20 carbon atoms.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 24 wherein R contains 18 carbon atoms.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 24 wherein said aqueous solution of aliphatic substituted succinimido aryl hydroxy sulfonate contains the corresponding succinamic acid amide derivative characterized by the formula ##STR16## wherein R, M, and M' are as defined in claim 24.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3469630A
Cited
GB1194286A
Cited
US3508612A
Cited
US3732290A
Cited
US3811505A
Cited
US3890239A
Cited
US3811504A
Cited
US3858656A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-09-11 | 1982-03-13 | 1982-09-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-09-11 | 1986-03-13 | 1986-09-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-09-11 | 1990-03-13 | 1990-09-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |