US4433730A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Optimum grading of chemical concentrations in a micellar flood
Assignee: BP Corp North America Inc
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Filing: 1981-03-30
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Granted: 1984-02-28
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Expires: 2001-03-30
Abstract
Abstract Any method for tertiary recovery of oil from an oil reservoir penetrated by injection and producing wells in which injected fluid, either the micellar or polymer bank, is formulated so that the front portion of the bank is miscible with oil and the rear portion is miscible with water. In one method of formulating the graded bank or banks, the salinity of the bank is graded from a high salinity at the front to a low salinity at the rear. Another method of formulating the bank, the cosurfactant concentration is graded from a low cosurfactant concentration at the front of the bank to a low concentration of surfactant at the rear.
Inventors
- 👤 Scott P. Trushenski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 08:07
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K8/00; C09K8/58
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and producing wells, the improvement comprising: (a) injecting an aqueous micellar fluid bank into the formation through the injection well, and (b) injecting a mobility control fluid bank into the formation through the injection well to displace the oil to the producing wells, whereby the composition of the micellar and mobility control fluid banks are graded such that the leading edge of the micellar bank is miscible with oil and the rear portion of the mobility control fluid bank is miscible with water.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and producing wells, the improvement comprising: (a) injecting an aqueous micellar fluid bank into the formation through the injection well, and (b) injecting a mobility control fluid bank into the formation through the injection well to displace the oil to the producing wells, whereby the composition of the micellar and mobility control fluid banks are graded such that the leading edge of the micellar bank is miscible with oil and the rear portion of the mobility control fluid bank is miscible with water.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said micellar fluid bank and said mobility control fluid bank are graded from a high salinity to a low salinity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the graded fluids are graded from a low concentration of water-soluble alcohol to a high concentration of water-soluble alcohol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the graded fluids are graded from a high concentration of oil-soluble alcohol to a low concentration of oil-soluble alcohol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the graded fluids are graded from a low concentration of low equivalent weight sulfonates to a high concentration of low equivalent sulfonates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the graded fluids are graded from a high concentration of high equivalent weight sulfonates to a low concentration of high equivalent weight sulfonates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
102 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and producing wells, the improvement comprising: (a) injecting a graded aqueous micellar fluid bank into the formation through the injection well, wherein the micellar fluid is graded from a low concentration of low equivalent weight sulfonates to a high concentration of low equivalent weight sulfonates, such that a leading edge of the micellar bank is miscible with oil and a rear portion of the micellar bank is miscible with water, and (b) injecting a mobility control fluid into the formation to displace the oil to the producing wells.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
102 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and producing wells, the improvement comprising: (a) injecting a graded aqueous micellar fluid bank into the formation through the injection well, wherein the micellar fluid is graded from a low concentration of low equivalent weight sulfonates to a high concentration of low equivalent weight sulfonates, such that a leading edge of the micellar bank is miscible with oil and a rear portion of the micellar bank is miscible with water, and (b) injecting a mobility control fluid into the formation to displace the oil to the producing wells.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
106 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and producing wells, the improvement comprising: (a) injecting a graded aqueous micellar fluid bank into the formation through the injection well, wherein the micellar fluid is graded from a high concentration of high equivalent weight sulfonate to a low concentration of high equivalent weight sulfonate, such that a leading edge of the micellar bank is miscible with oil and a rear portion of the micellar bank is miscible with water, and (b) injecting a mobility control fluid into the formation through the injection well to displace the oil to the producing wells.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
106 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and producing wells, the improvement comprising: (a) injecting a graded aqueous micellar fluid bank into the formation through the injection well, wherein the micellar fluid is graded from a high concentration of high equivalent weight sulfonate to a low concentration of high equivalent weight sulfonate, such that a leading edge of the micellar bank is miscible with oil and a rear portion of the micellar bank is miscible with water, and (b) injecting a mobility control fluid into the formation through the injection well to displace the oil to the producing wells.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
103 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and production wells, the improvement comprising injecting continuously graded micellar and mobility control fluid banks into the formation through the injection well, wherein the miscibility of the micellar and mobility control fluid banks is continuously graded from a leading edge of the micellar bank through the micellar and mobility control fluid banks to a rear portion of the mobility control fluid bank, such that the leading edge of the micellar bank is miscible with oil and the rear portion of the mobility control fluid bank is miscible with water.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
103 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and production wells, the improvement comprising injecting continuously graded micellar and mobility control fluid banks into the formation through the injection well, wherein the miscibility of the micellar and mobility control fluid banks is continuously graded from a leading edge of the micellar bank through the micellar and mobility control fluid banks to a rear portion of the mobility control fluid bank, such that the leading edge of the micellar bank is miscible with oil and the rear portion of the mobility control fluid bank is miscible with water.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and producing wells, the improvement comprising: (a) injecting an aqueous micellar fluid bank into the formation through the injection well, and (b) injecting a graded mobility control fluid into the formation through the injection well to displace the oil to the producing wells, wherein the graded fluid is graded from a low concentration of water-soluble alcohol to a high concentration of water-soluble alcohol such that the leading edge of the mobility control fluid bank is miscible with oil and the rear portion of the mobility control fluid bank is miscible with water .
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
107 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and producing wells, the improvement comprising: (a) injecting an aqueous micellar fluid bank into the formation through the injection well, and (b) injecting a graded mobility control fluid into the formation through the injection well to displace the oil to the producing wells, wherein the graded fluid is graded from a low concentration of water-soluble alcohol to a high concentration of water-soluble alcohol such that the leading edge of the mobility control fluid bank is miscible with oil and the rear portion of the mobility control fluid bank is miscible with water .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
110 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and producing wells, the improvement comprising: (a) injecting an aqueous micellar fluid bank into the formation through the injection well, and (b) injecting a graded mobility control fluid into the formation through the injection well to displace the oil to the producing wells, wherein the graded fluid is graded from a low concentration of low equivalent weight sulfonates to a high concentration of low equivalent weight sulfonates such that the leading edge of the mobility control fluid bank is miscible with oil and the rear portion of a mobility control fluid bank is miscible with water.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
110 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and producing wells, the improvement comprising: (a) injecting an aqueous micellar fluid bank into the formation through the injection well, and (b) injecting a graded mobility control fluid into the formation through the injection well to displace the oil to the producing wells, wherein the graded fluid is graded from a low concentration of low equivalent weight sulfonates to a high concentration of low equivalent weight sulfonates such that the leading edge of the mobility control fluid bank is miscible with oil and the rear portion of a mobility control fluid bank is miscible with water.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
110 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and producing wells, the improvement comprising: (a) injecting an aqueous micellar fluid bank into the formation through the injection well, and (b) injecting a graded mobility control fluid into the formation through the injection well to displace the oil to the producing wells, wherein the graded fluid is graded from a high concentration of high equivalent weight sulfonates to a low concentration of high equivalent weight sulfonates such that the leading edge of the mobility control fluid bank is miscible with oil and the rear portion of a mobility control fluid bank is miscible with water.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
110 words
In a method for displacing oil through an oil bearing formation penetrated by injection and producing wells, the improvement comprising: (a) injecting an aqueous micellar fluid bank into the formation through the injection well, and (b) injecting a graded mobility control fluid into the formation through the injection well to displace the oil to the producing wells, wherein the graded fluid is graded from a high concentration of high equivalent weight sulfonates to a low concentration of high equivalent weight sulfonates such that the leading edge of the mobility control fluid bank is miscible with oil and the rear portion of a mobility control fluid bank is miscible with water.
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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) | 1987-02-27 | 1987-08-29 | 1988-02-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-02-27 | 1991-08-29 | 1992-02-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-02-27 | 1995-08-29 | 1996-02-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |