Use of lignin/amine/surfactant blends in enhanced oil recovery
AssigneesTexaco Producing Inc., Reed Lignin, Inc.
InventorsFrancis E. Debons, Larry D. Pedersen, Lawrence E. Whittington
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for the enhanced recovery of oil comprised of injecting into an oil containing formation an aqueous surfactant system comprised of a blend of an oil soluble amine, a lignin selected from the group consisting of lignosulfonates and sulfonated alkali and soda lignins, and a water soluble anionic or non-ionic surfactant and water; driving the surfactant system through the formation and producing the oil mobilized by the surfactant system. A surfactant composition useful for enhanced oil recovery methods comprised of an oil soluble amine, a lignin, and a water soluble anionic or non-ionic surfactant.
Claims10
A method for the enhanced recovery of oil from a subterranean formation containing oil and having at least one production well and at least one injection well comprising:
- injecting into said formation a surfactant system comprising
- a surfactant blend comprising primary alkyl amine of 8 to 22 carbon atoms, a lignin selected from the group consisting of water soluble alkali and soda lignins and a water soluble anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of petroleum sulfonates and alkylaryl sulfonates, said blend having from about 1 to about 20% of said amine, from about 5% to about 70% of said lignin, and from about 10 to about 99% of said water soluble anionic surfactant;
- and
- water, wherein the equilibrated interfacial tension between said oil and said surfactant system is less than about 100 millidynes/cm;
- driving said surfactant system through said formation;
- and producing the oil mobilized by said surfactant system through said production well.
A method for the enhanced recovery of oil from a subterranean formation containing oil and having at least one production and at least one injection well comprising:
- injecting into said formation a surfactant system comprising:
- a surfactant blend comprising a primary fatty amine having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms, a lignin selected from the group consisting of water soluble alkali and soda lignins and a water soluble petroleum sulfonate and comprising about 1 to about 8% of said surfactant system, said blend having from about 1 to about 20% of said primary fatty amine, from about 5% to about 70% of said lignin, and from 30 to about 99% of said water soluble petroleum sulfonate, and
- water, wherein the equilibrated interfacial tension between said oil and said surfactant system is less than about 100 millidynes/cm;
- driving said surfactant system through said formation;
- and
- producing the oil mobilized by said surfactant system through said production well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.