US4191253A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Surfactant waterflood oil recovery method
Assignee: Texaco Inc
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Filing: 1978-12-11
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Granted: 1980-03-04
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Expires: 1998-12-11
Abstract
Abstract Oil or petroleum may be recovered from relatively high temperature, e.g. 80° F. to 240° F. oil-containing formations also containing water having high salinity, e.g. from 50,000 parts per million to 200,000 parts per million total dissolved solids, by injecting into the formation an aqueous fluid containing an organic sulfonate such as petroleum sulfonate and a solubilizing cosurfactant which is a sulfated or sulfonated, polyethoxylated alkylthiol, or a sulfated or sulfonated, polyethoxylated alkylarylthiol.
Inventors
- 👤 George Kalfoglou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 08:37
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58; C09K8/584; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S507/00; Y10S507/935; Y10S507/936
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
A method for recovering petroleum from a subterranean, petroleum-containing formation of known or determinable temperature and formation water salinity, said formation being penetrated by at least one injection well and by at least one production well, both wells being in fluid communication with at least a portion of the petroleum formation, comprising (a) injecting into the formation via the injection well an aqueous, surfactant-containing fluid, said surfactant comprising a sulfated ethoxylated alkyl or alkylarylthiol having the following formula: R--S--(OR').sub.n SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+ wherein R is an alkyl having from 6 to 26 carbon atoms, or an alkylaryl having from 5 to 24 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, S is sulfur, O is oxygen, R' is ethylene or a mixture of ethylene and propylene with relatively more ethylene than propylene, n is a number from 1 to 12, and M is a monovalent cation, or a sulfonated ethoxylated alkyl or alkylarylthiol having the following formula: R--S(OR').sub.n R"SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+, wherein R" is ethylene, propylene, hydroxy propylene or butylene, and R, S, O, R', n and M have the same meaning as above, or a mixture thereof, said surfactant fluid displacing petroleum through the formation to the remotely located production well; and (b) recovering petroleum displaced by said surfactant fluid from the formation via the production well.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
214 words
A method for recovering petroleum from a subterranean, petroleum-containing formation of known or determinable temperature and formation water salinity, said formation being penetrated by at least one injection well and by at least one production well, both wells being in fluid communication with at least a portion of the petroleum formation, comprising (a) injecting into the formation via the injection well an aqueous, surfactant-containing fluid, said surfactant comprising a sulfated ethoxylated alkyl or alkylarylthiol having the following formula: R--S--(OR').sub.n SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+ wherein R is an alkyl having from 6 to 26 carbon atoms, or an alkylaryl having from 5 to 24 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, S is sulfur, O is oxygen, R' is ethylene or a mixture of ethylene and propylene with relatively more ethylene than propylene, n is a number from 1 to 12, and M is a monovalent cation, or a sulfonated ethoxylated alkyl or alkylarylthiol having the following formula: R--S(OR').sub.n R"SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+, wherein R" is ethylene, propylene, hydroxy propylene or butylene, and R, S, O, R', n and M have the same meaning as above, or a mixture thereof, said surfactant fluid displacing petroleum through the formation to the remotely located production well; and (b) recovering petroleum displaced by said surfactant fluid from the formation via the production well.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said fluid also contains an organic sulfonate selected from the group consisting of water soluble sodium, potassium, lithium or ammonium salts of C 6 to C 24 alkyl sulfonates, sodium, potassium, lithium or ammonium salts of C 5 to C 18 alkylaryl sulfonates, sodium, potassium, lithium or ammonium salts of petroleum sulfonates which are at least partially water soluble, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the organic sulfonate is petroleum sulfonate having an average equivalent weight in the range of from about 300 to about 500.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as recited in claim 3 wherein the average equivalent weight of the petroleum sulfonate is from 350 to 450.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein R is an alkyl having from 8 to 20 carbon atoms.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein R is an alkylaryl having from 6 to 16 carbon atoms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein R' is ethylene.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the value of n is from 3 to 8.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein M is sodium, potassium, lithium or ammonium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the value of n is selected to cause the surfactant to be slightly soluble at a salinity about equal to the salinity of the formation water, and to achieve a value of interfacial tension between the surfactant fluid and the formation petroleum of no more than 2×10 -2 dynes/centimeter.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the temperature of the formation is no greater than 175° F., and the surfactant is a sulfated, ethoxylated alkyl or alkylarylthiol.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the formation temperature is no greater than 250° F. and the surfactant is a sulfonated ethoxylated alkyl or alkylarylthiol.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein R" is ethylene.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein R" is propylene.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein R" is hydroxy propylene.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
11 words
A method as recited in claim 1 wherein R" is butylene.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-03-04 | 1983-09-03 | 1984-03-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-03-04 | 1987-09-03 | 1988-03-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-03-04 | 1991-09-03 | 1992-03-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |