US4540050A — Method of improving conformance in steam floods w…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 184 words

A process for recovering hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well producing a water cut of at 90%, which comprises: injecting steam into an injection well; injecting into the injection well a mixture of steam, about 0.01 to about 5 thousand standard cubic feet of a non-condensable gas per barrel of steam in the injected mixture and about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of a foaming agent based upon the weight of the steam in the injected mixture, said foaming agent represented by the formula, RO(R'O).sub.n R"SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+, where R is an alkyl radical, branched or linear, or an alkylbenzene, alkyltoluene or alkylxylene group having from about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, R' is ethyl, propyl or a mixture of ethyl and propyl, n has an average value of about 1 to about 20, R" is ethyl, propyl, hydroxypropyl or butyl, and M + is an alkali metal or ammonium ion; injecting steam into said injection well; and recovering hydrocarbons and other fluids from a well.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 184 words

A process for recovering hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well producing a water cut of at 90%, which comprises: injecting steam into an injection well; injecting into the injection well a mixture of steam, about 0.01 to about 5 thousand standard cubic feet of a non-condensable gas per barrel of steam in the injected mixture and about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of a foaming agent based upon the weight of the steam in the injected mixture, said foaming agent represented by the formula, RO(R'O).sub.n R"SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+, where R is an alkyl radical, branched or linear, or an alkylbenzene, alkyltoluene or alkylxylene group having from about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, R' is ethyl, propyl or a mixture of ethyl and propyl, n has an average value of about 1 to about 20, R" is ethyl, propyl, hydroxypropyl or butyl, and M + is an alkali metal or ammonium ion; injecting steam into said injection well; and recovering hydrocarbons and other fluids from a well.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 18 words

The process of claim 1 for recovering hydrocarbons, wherein said mixture is injected into a steam override zone.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 41 words

The process of claim 1 for recovering hydrocarbons, wherein R is an alkyl radical having about 16 to about 18 carbon atoms, R' is ethyl, n has an average value of about 4, R" is propyl and M + is sodium.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

The process of claim 1 for recovering hydrocarbons, wherein R is an alkyl radical having about 16 to about 20 carbon atoms, R' is ethyl, n has an average value of about 3, R" is propyl and M + is sodium.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 44 words

The process of claim 1 for recovering hydrocarbons, wherein R is an alkyl radical having about 12 to about 14 carbon atoms, R' is ethyl, n has an average value of about 2 to about 4, R" is propyl and M + is sodium.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

The process of claim 1 for recovering hydrocarbons, wherein the concentration of said foaming agent in steam is increased as the steam injection rate is increased.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 28 words

The process of claim 1 for recovering hydrocarbons, wherein the non-condensable gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, air, methane, ethane and flue gas.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 23 words

The process of claim 1 for recovering hydrocarbons, wherein said mixture is injected into an injection well near the beginning of steam injection.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

The process of claim 1 for recovering hydrocarbons, wherein said mixture is injected into an injection well immediately prior to steam breakthrough at a production well.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 24 words

The process of claim 1 for recovering hydrocarbons, wherein said mixture is injected into an injection well after steam breakthrough at a production well.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 35 words

The process of claim 1 for recovering hydrocarbons, wherein the non-condensable gas is injected at a rate of about 0.01 to about 1.5 thousand standard cubic feet per barrel of steam in the injected mixture.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 178 words

A process for recovering hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well producing a water cut of at 90%, which comprises: injecting into an injection well a mixture of steam, about 0.01 to about 5 thousand standard cubic feet of a non-condensable gas per barrel of steam in the injected mixture and about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of a foaming agent based upon the weight of the steam in the injected mixture, said foaming agent represented by the formula, RO(R'O).sub.n R"SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+, where R is an alkyl radical, branched or linear, or an alkylbenzene, alkyltoluene or alkylxylene group having from about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, R' is ethyl, propyl or a mixture of ethyl and propyl, n has an average value of about 1 to about 20, R" is ethyl, propyl, hydroxypropyl or butyl, and M + is an alkali metal or ammonium ion; injecting steam into said injection well; and recovering hydrocarbons and other fluids from a well.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 178 words

A process for recovering hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well producing a water cut of at 90%, which comprises: injecting into an injection well a mixture of steam, about 0.01 to about 5 thousand standard cubic feet of a non-condensable gas per barrel of steam in the injected mixture and about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of a foaming agent based upon the weight of the steam in the injected mixture, said foaming agent represented by the formula, RO(R'O).sub.n R"SO.sub.3.sup.- M.sup.+, where R is an alkyl radical, branched or linear, or an alkylbenzene, alkyltoluene or alkylxylene group having from about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, R' is ethyl, propyl or a mixture of ethyl and propyl, n has an average value of about 1 to about 20, R" is ethyl, propyl, hydroxypropyl or butyl, and M + is an alkali metal or ammonium ion; injecting steam into said injection well; and recovering hydrocarbons and other fluids from a well.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 105 words

A process for recovering hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well, which comprises: injecting steam into an injection well; injecting into said injection well a mixture of steam, about 0.01 to about 1.5 thousand standard cubic feet of nitrogen per barrel of steam in the injected mixture and about 0.02% to about 1.5% by weight of a foaming agent based upon the weight of the steam in the injected mixture, said foaming agent represented by the formula ##STR2## injecting steam into said injection well; and recovering hydrocarbons and other fluids from a well.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 105 words

A process for recovering hydrocarbons from an underground hydrocarbon formation penetrated by at least one injection well and at least one production well, which comprises: injecting steam into an injection well; injecting into said injection well a mixture of steam, about 0.01 to about 1.5 thousand standard cubic feet of nitrogen per barrel of steam in the injected mixture and about 0.02% to about 1.5% by weight of a foaming agent based upon the weight of the steam in the injected mixture, said foaming agent represented by the formula ##STR2## injecting steam into said injection well; and recovering hydrocarbons and other fluids from a well.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1988-09-09	1989-03-11	1989-09-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1992-09-09	1993-03-11	1993-09-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1996-09-09	1997-03-11	1997-09-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method of improving conformance in steam floods with steam foaming agents

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