US4166038A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Surfactant waterflooding employing amphoteric sulfonium sulfonates
Assignee: Mobil Oil AS
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Filing: 1977-12-29
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Granted: 1979-08-28
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Expires: 1997-12-29
Abstract
Abstract Waterflood process for the recovery of oil from a subterranean oil reservoir involving injecting into the reservoir an aqueous solution of an amphoteric surfactant having an inner sulfonium group linked to a terminal sulfonate group. The amphoteric sulfonium sulfonate may be employed in relatively low concentrations within the range of 0.001-0.1 weight percent and injected in an aqueous slug of at least 0.5 pore volume. The invention may be applied in situations in which the reservoir waters and/or the waters employed in formulating the surfactant solution contain relatively high amounts of divalent metal ions. Specifically disclosed sulfonium sulfonates include dodecylmethylsulfonium propane sulfonate, tetradecylmethylsulfonium propane sulfonate, and hexadecylhydroxyethylsulfonium propane sulfonate.
Inventors
- 👤 Stamoulis Stournas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 22:05
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58; C09K8/584; C09K8/60; C09K8/602; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S507/00; Y10S507/935; Y10S507/936
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 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 liquid 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 liquid containing a water-soluble amphoteric surfactant characterized by the formula ##STR7## wherein: R 1 is a hydrocarbon group containing from 8 to 24 carbon atoms, R 2 is a hydrocarbon group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group containing from 2 to 10 carbon atoms and having a ratio of carbon atoms to oxygen atoms within the range of 2 to 3, and R 3 is an aliphatic group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 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 liquid 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 liquid containing a water-soluble amphoteric surfactant characterized by the formula ##STR7## wherein: R 1 is a hydrocarbon group containing from 8 to 24 carbon atoms, R 2 is a hydrocarbon group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group containing from 2 to 10 carbon atoms and having a ratio of carbon atoms to oxygen atoms within the range of 2 to 3, and R 3 is an aliphatic group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said aqueous liquid contains said amphoteric surfactant in a concentration within the range of 0.001 to 0.1 weight percent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said aqueous liquid containing said amphoteric surfactant is injected in an amount of at least 0.5 pore volume.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the concentration of said amphoteric surfactant is within the range of 0.001 to 0.05 weight percent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said subterranean oil reservoir contains water having a divalent metal ion concentration of at least 0.1 weight percent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein R 1 is an aliphatic group containing from 8 to 18 carbon atoms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein R 1 is an aliphatic group containing from 10 to 12 carbon atoms.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 7 wherein R 2 is a methyl or ethyl group and R 3 is an aliphatic group containing 2 or 3 carbon atoms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
124 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 liquid 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 liquid containing a water-soluble amphoteric surfactant characterized by the formula ##STR8## wherein: R 1 and R 2 are hydrocarbon groups containing at least 6 carbon atoms and at least 4 carbon atoms, respectively, and containing in combination a total number of carbon atoms within the range of 10 to 24, and R 3 is an aliphatic group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
124 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 liquid 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 liquid containing a water-soluble amphoteric surfactant characterized by the formula ##STR8## wherein: R 1 and R 2 are hydrocarbon groups containing at least 6 carbon atoms and at least 4 carbon atoms, respectively, and containing in combination a total number of carbon atoms within the range of 10 to 24, and R 3 is an aliphatic group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said subterranean oil reservoir contains water having a divalent metal ion concentration of at least 0.1 weight percent.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 9 wherein R 1 and R 2 are aliphatic groups containing in combination a total number of carbon atoms within the range of 10 to 20.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 11 wherein R 3 is an aliphatic group containing 2 or 3 carbon atoms.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 12 wherein R 1 and R 2 are aliphatic groups containing in combination a total number of carbon atoms within the range of 10 to 16.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said aqueous liquid contains said amphoteric surfactant in a concentration within the range of 0.001 to 0.1 weight percent.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said aqueous liquid containing said amphoteric surfactant is injected in an amount of at least 0.5 pore volume.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the concentration of said amphoteric surfactant is within the range of 0.001 to 0.05 weight percent.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
111 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 liquid 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 liquid containing a water-soluble amphoteric surfactant characterized by the formula ##STR9## wherein: R 1 is a hydrocarbon group containing from 10 to 18 carbon atoms, and R 2 is --CH 3 or --(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H and n is a number within the range of 1 to 5.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
111 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 liquid 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 liquid containing a water-soluble amphoteric surfactant characterized by the formula ##STR9## wherein: R 1 is a hydrocarbon group containing from 10 to 18 carbon atoms, and R 2 is --CH 3 or --(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H and n is a number within the range of 1 to 5.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said subterranean oil reservoir contains water having a divalent metal ion concentration of at least 0.1 weight percent.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 17 wherein R 1 is an aliphatic group containing from 10 to 14 carbon atoms.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 19 wherein R 2 is --CH 3 .
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 19 wherein R 2 is --CH 2 CH 2 OH or --(CH 2 CH 2 O) 2 H.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said aqueous liquid contains said amphoteric surfactant in a concentration within the range of 0.001 to 0.1 weight percent.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 22 wherein said aqueous liquid containing said amphoteric surfactant is injected in an amount of at least 0.5 pore volume.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 23 wherein the concentration of said amphoteric surfactant is within the range of 0.001 to 0.05 weight percent.
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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) | 1982-08-27 | 1983-02-26 | 1983-08-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-08-27 | 1987-02-26 | 1987-08-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-08-27 | 1991-02-26 | 1991-08-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |