Composition of microemulsion and method for advanced recovery of heavy oil
AssigneePetroleo Brasileiro S.A. - Petrobras
InventorsMarcia Cristina Khalil Oliveira, Gaspar Gonzalez Maldonado
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Abstract
A composition of a microemulsion including a mixture of a combination of surfactants and co-surfactants, an oil phase and an aqueous phase is described. In addition, a method for the advanced recovery of heavy oils is described which includes the steps of injecting a bank containing a microemulsion composition, injecting a bank of a polymer solution, and injecting water. The microemulsion composition can be applied in arenitic and carbonatic reservoirs, containing oils with API below 22.3° API, in both onshore and offshore fields.
Claims8
A microemulsion composition for advanced oil recovery of heavy oil comprising a mixture of:
- a) between 15% and 30% by volume based on the total volume of the microemulsion composition of a combination of surfactants and co-surfactants wherein the mass ratio between the co-surfactant and the surfactant vary from 0.5 to 1.0;
- b) between 10% and 30% by volume based on the total volume of the microemulsion composition of an oil phase;
- and
- c) an aqueous phase sufficient to complete 100% by volume of the microemulsion composition wherein the aqueous phase comprises at least one of the group consisting of seawater and industrial water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.