Microemulsion method for improving the injectivity of a well
AssigneeTexaco Inc.
InventorGabriel Prukop
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for improving the injectivity of an injection well for water or gas injection into an underground hydrocarbon formation which comprises injecting into the formation through an injection well a sufficient amount of a solvent-in-water microemulsion comprising about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of an alkoxylated linear alcohol having about 10 to about 16 carbon atoms in the linear alcohol moiety and an average of about 5 to about 12 alkoxylate groups, about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of an alkylbenzene sulfonate having an alkyl chain of about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms, about 1% to about 10% by weight of an ethylene glycol alkylether solvent, and water.
Claims7
A method for improving the injectivity of an injection well for water or gas injection into an underground hydrocarbon formation penetrated by said injection well which comprises:
- injecting into an underground hydrocarbon formation through an injection well a sufficient amount of a solvent-in-water microemulsion to treat the formation within a radial distance of about 5 to about 100 feet from the injection well,
- said solvent-in-water microemulsion comprising about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of an alkoxylated linear alcohol having about 10 to about 16 carbon atoms in the linear alcohol moiety and an average of about 5 to about 12 alkoxylate groups, about 0.5% to about 5% by weight of an alkylbenzene sulfonate having an alkyl chain of about 8 to about 20 carbon atoms, about 1% to about 10% by weight of an ethylene glycol alkylether solvent, and water.
A method for improving the injectivity of an injection well for water or gas injection into an underground hydrocarbon formation penetrated by said injection well which comprises:
- injecting into an underground hydrocarbon formation through an injection well a sufficient amount of a solvent-in-water microemulsion to treat the formation within a radial distance of about 15 to about 50 feet from the injection well,
- said solvent-in-water microemulsion comprising about 1% to about 3% by weight of an ethoxylated linear alcohol having about 12 to about 14 carbon atoms in the linear alcohol moiety and an average of about 6 to about 8 ethoxylate groups, about 1% to about 3% by weight of an alkylbenzene sulfonate having about 10 to about 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, about 3% to about 5% by weight of a butoxyethanol solvent, and water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.