Abstract:
AN ADDITIVE CONCENTRATE FOR THE FORMULATION OF SOLUBLE OILS COMPRISING AN ADMIXTURE OF SURFACE ACTIVE ALKYL ARYL SULFONATES AND SECONDARY BUTYL ALCOHOL IN THE PROPORTION OF ABOUT 1 TO 12 PARTS BY VOLUME OF ALKYL ARYL SULFONATES PER PART OF SECONDARY BUTYL ALCOHOL. T HE SURFACE ACTIVE SULFONATE CAN BE A MIXTURE OF PREFERENTIALLY OIL-SOLUBLE AND PREFERENTIALLY WATER-SOLUBLE ALKYL ARYL SULFONATES.
Abstract:
A miscible flooding process for the recovery of oil from subterranean reservoirs in which a methane-enriched soluble oil is injected into the reservoir through one or more injection wells at a pressure above the bubble point pressure of the composition, and thereafter an aqueous flooding agent is injected to drive the soluble oil towards a spaced production well. The soluble oil comprises an admixture of a liquid hydrocarbon, surface active organic sulfonates, and a stabilizing agent; and is enriched by the addition of methane in an amount not exceeding the saturation composition at reservoir conditions of temperature and pressure. The soluble oil can be substantially anhydrous, or it can contain water present as a water-in-oil microemulsion.
Abstract:
A method for stimulating the production of oil from a well completed in a permeable, oil-bearing formation comprising the steps of (1) contacting the well with a substantially anhydrous soluble oil under conditions that the soluble oil does not enter the formation in any substantial amount, (2) removing the previously placed soluble oil from the well, (3) next injecting a small quantity of soluble oil through the well and into the formation, (4) displacing the soluble oil into the formation with an overflush of oil, and (5) recovering oil from the well. The soluble oil is preferably especially compounded to exhibit a high solvency for the specific organic deposits found in the well. If desired, the well can be treated with acid prior to commencing the recovery operation to remove inorganic deposits and to increase the permeability of the formation. Also, the formation immediately surrounding the well can be treated with scale inhibiting agents, or with polymerizable resins to consolidate unconsolidated or loosely consolidated sands prior to returning the well to production.