Polymer-coated support and its use as sand pack in enhanced oil recovery
AssigneeMobil Oil Corporation
InventorsDarrell D. Whitehurst, Margaret M. Wu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A non-friable support, e.g., sand, coated with a polymer is prepared by contacting the support containing a polymerization catalyst with a monomer which is at least one multi-functional olefin, e.g., a diene, under monomer polymerization conditions. The product of the polymerization process is a highly cross-linked coating which engulfs the support, thereby rendering it hydrolytically and thermally stable. The support can be used as a sand pack in enhanced oil recovery operations, wherein it is resistant to deterioration due to high temperature, pressure and alkaline conditions existing in the subterranean formations.
Claims14
A method of recovering oil substantially without producing silica-containing material from a subterranean oil formation comprising penetrating the formation with at least one well from which the oil is produced, depositing at the bottom of the well a sand pack prepared by depositing an olefin polymerization catalyst which is a Group VIB metal-containing catalyst or a Ziegler catalyst on a substantially non-friable support and subsequently contacting the support with at least one multi-functional olefin monomer under polymerization conditions, thereby forming a solid, polymer surface on the support, placing the support having the solid, polymer surface in the well to form said sand pack and recovering the oil from the well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.