US4245700A — Enhanced oil recovery method

Claim 1

Independent Claim 182 words

In a method of recovering petroleum from a subterreanean, petroleum-containing formation, 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 formation, comprising injecting an aqueous, surfactant-containing liquid into the formation, followed by injecting an aqueous, hydrophilic, viscosity increasing polymer-containing liquid, and thereafter injecting a drive liquid into the formation to displace petroleum and the previously-injected liquids through the formation toward a production well from which it is recovered to the surface of the earth, wherein the improvement for increasing the amount of petroleum recovered by the enhanced oil recovery process comprises: incorporating from 10 to 500 parts per million of an aromatic treating compound in at least a portion of the polymer-containing liquid, the aromatic treating compound having the following formula: ##STR3## wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are each hydrogen, methyl, or a C 2 to C 9 alkyl, the total number of carbon atoms in R 1 , R 2 and R 3 being from 0 to 9.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 182 words

In a method of recovering petroleum from a subterreanean, petroleum-containing formation, 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 formation, comprising injecting an aqueous, surfactant-containing liquid into the formation, followed by injecting an aqueous, hydrophilic, viscosity increasing polymer-containing liquid, and thereafter injecting a drive liquid into the formation to displace petroleum and the previously-injected liquids through the formation toward a production well from which it is recovered to the surface of the earth, wherein the improvement for increasing the amount of petroleum recovered by the enhanced oil recovery process comprises: incorporating from 10 to 500 parts per million of an aromatic treating compound in at least a portion of the polymer-containing liquid, the aromatic treating compound having the following formula: ##STR3## wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are each hydrogen, methyl, or a C 2 to C 9 alkyl, the total number of carbon atoms in R 1 , R 2 and R 3 being from 0 to 9.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are each hydrogen, methyl, or a C 2 to C 5 alkyl.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 17 words

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the aromatic treated compound is benzene, toluene, or xylene.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 14 words

A method as recited in claim 3 wherein the aromatic treating compound is toluene.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the concentration of aromatic treating compound in the polymer-containing fluid is from 50 to 500 parts per million.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 36 words

A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamide, partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, copolymers of acrylamide and acrylic acid, biopolymers including polysaccharide, naturally occurring polymers, and mixtures therefof.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 102 words

A method for recovering oil from a subterranean, petroleum-containing, permeable formation penetrated by at least one injection well and by at least one production well, comprising injecting into the formation via the injection well, an aqueous fluid containing a surfactant, a hydrophilic polymer, and from 10 to 500 parts per million of an aromatic compound having the following formula: ##STR4## wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are each hydrogen, methyl or a C 2 to C 9 alkyl, the total number of carbon atoms in R 1 , R 2 and R 3 being from 0 to 9.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 102 words

A method for recovering oil from a subterranean, petroleum-containing, permeable formation penetrated by at least one injection well and by at least one production well, comprising injecting into the formation via the injection well, an aqueous fluid containing a surfactant, a hydrophilic polymer, and from 10 to 500 parts per million of an aromatic compound having the following formula: ##STR4## wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are each hydrogen, methyl or a C 2 to C 9 alkyl, the total number of carbon atoms in R 1 , R 2 and R 3 being from 0 to 9.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method as recited in claim 7 wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are each hydrogen, methyl or a C 2 to C 5 alkyl.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method as recited in claim 7 wherein the aromatic compound is benzene, toluene or xylene.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 22 words

A method as recited in claim 7 wherein the concentration of the aromatic compound is from 50 to 500 parts per million.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1984-01-20	1984-07-21	1985-01-20	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1988-01-20	1988-07-21	1989-01-20	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1992-01-20	1992-07-21	1993-01-20	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Enhanced oil recovery method

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