Abstract: Disclosed is an aqueous surfactant fluid and an oil recovery method employing the fluid, the fluid containing at least two different surfactants: (1) An organic sulfonate anionic surfactant such as a petroleum sulfonate, or an alkyl or alkylaryl sulfonate, and (2) a dipolyalkoxylated, preferably dipolyethoxylated alkyl catechol, wherein the balance between the oil soluble alkyl group and water soluble ethoxy group is chosen to ensure effective capillary displacement at the formation temperature in water having a salinity about equal to the salinity of the formation water, and the total number of ethoxy groups is chosen so the cloud point of the ethoxylated alkyl catechol is from 2.degree. to 40.degree. F. greater than the formation temperature.

Abstract: Oil or petroleum may be recovered from relatively high temperature, e.g. 80.degree. F. to 240.degree. F. oil-containing formations also containing water having high salinity, e.g. from 50,000 parts per million to 200,000 parts per million total dissolved solids, by injecting into the formation an aqueous fluid containing an organic sulfonate such as petroleum sulfonate and a solubilizing cosurfactant which is a sulfated or sulfonated, polyethoxylated alkylthiol, or a sulfated or sulfonated, polyethoxylated alkylarylthiol.

Abstract: A process for producing petroleum from subterranean formations is disclosed wherein production from the formation is obtained by driving a fluid from an injection well to a production well. The process involves injecting via the injection well into the formation an aqueous solution of lignosulfonate salt carboxylated with chloroacetic acid as a sacrificial agent to inhibit the deposition of surfactant and/or polymer on the reservoir matrix. The process may best be carried out by injecting the lignosulfonates carboxylated with chloroacetic acid into the formation through the injection well mixed with either a polymer, a surfactant solution and/or a micellar dispersion. This mixture would then be followed by a drive fluid such as water to push the chemicals to the production well.

Abstract: A process for producing petroleum from subterranean formations is disclosed wherein production from the formation is obtained by driving a fluid from an injection well to a production well. The process involves injecting via the injection well into the formation an aqueous solution of sulfomethylated lignosulfonate salt as a sacrificial agent to inhibit the deposition of surfactant and/or polymer on the reservoir matrix. The process may best be carried out by injecting the sulfomethylated lignosulfonates into the formation through the injection well mixed with either a polymer, a surfactant solution and/or a micellar dispersion. This mixture would then be followed by a drive fluid such as water to push the chemicals to the production well.

Abstract: A process for producing petroleum from subterranean formations is disclosed wherein production from the formation is obtained by driving a fluid from an injection well to a production well. The process involves injecting via the injection well into the formation an aqueous solution of lignosulfonate salt as a sacrificial agent to inhibit the deposition of surfactant on the reservoir matrix. The process may best be carried out by injecting the lignosulfonates into the formation through the injection well mixed with a surfactant solution. This mixture would then be followed by a drive fluid such as water to push the chemicals to the production well. The surfactant solution comprises a mixture of petroleum sulfonate and an alkyl benzene alkoxylated sulfonate. In another embodiment, the surfactant solution comprises sulfonated alkoxylated alkyl surfactants and/or alkyl benzene alkoxylated sulfonates.

Abstract: An adjusted salinity and hardness, aqueous preflush containing a thickening material which can be, for example, a hydrophilic material such as polyacrylamide, polysaccharide, polyvinyl aromatic sulfonate, polyethylene oxide, methyl cellulose, etc. or colloidal silica, etc. in a concentration sufficient to increase the viscosity of the adjusted salinity aqueous preflush fluid is injected into a subterranean, petroleum-containing formation. Optionally, the preflush fluid may contain a sacrificial agent, such as sodium tripolyphosphate, etc. The high salinity formation water is efficiently displaced by viscous low salinity aqueous preflush fluid to increase the effectiveness of a subsequently injected high salinity sensitive single surfactant solution. The surfactant may be displaced by a mobility buffer solution, which then may be displaced by water.

Abstract: A method of transporting viscous hydrocarbons which involves introducing into a pipeline or well-bore with the viscous hydrocarbons a solution containing an oxyalkylated anionic surfactant such as sodium nonyl phenol polyoxyethylene sulfonate or a mixture of such surfactants and, optionally, with an alkalinity agent thereby forming a low-viscosity, salt-tolerant oil-in-water emulsion.

Abstract: A method of transporting viscous hydrocarbons which involves introducing into a pipeline or well-bore with the viscous hydrocarbons a solution containing an oxyalkylated anionic surfactant such as sodium nonyl phenol polyoxyethylene sulfonate or a mixture of such surfactants and, optionally, with an alkalinity agent thereby forming a low-viscosity, salt-tolerant oil-in-water emulsion.

Abstract: A process for producing petroleum from subterranean formations is disclosed wherein production from the formation is obtained by driving a fluid from an injection well to a production well. The process involves injecting via the injection well into the formation an aqueous solution of tannin as a sacrificial agent to inhibit the deposition of surfactant and/or polymer on the reservoir matrix. The process may best be carried out by injecting the tannin into the formation through the injection well ahead of or mixed with either a polymer, a surfactant solution and/or a micellar dispersion. This mixture would then be followed by a drive fluid such as water to push the chemicals to the production well.

Abstract: An adjusted salinity and hardness, aqueous preflush containing a thickening material which can be, for example, a hydrophilic material such as polyacrylamide, polysaccharide, polyvinyl aromatic sulfonate, polyethylene oxide, methyl cellulose, etc. or colloidal silica, etc. in a concentration sufficient to increase the viscosity of the adjusted salinity aqueous preflush fluid is injected into a subterranean, petroleum-containing formation. Optionally, the preflush fluid may contain a sacrificial agent, such as sodium tripolyphosphate, etc. The high salinity formation water is efficiently displaced by viscous low salinity aqueous preflush fluid to increase the effectiveness of a subsequently injected high salinity sensitive single surfactant solution. The surfactant may be displaced by a mobility buffer solution, which then may be displaced by water.

Abstract: A process for producing petroleum from subterranean formations is disclosed wherein production from the formation is obtained by driving a fluid from an injection well to a production well. The process involves injecting via the injection well into the formation an aqueous solution of a chrome lignosulfonate complex as a sacrificial agent to inhibit the deposition of surfactant and/or polymer on the reservoir matrix. The process may best be carried out by injecting the chrome lignosulfonate complexes into the formation through the injection well ahead of or mixed with either a polymer, a surfactant solution and/or a micellar dispersion. This mixture would then be followed by a drive fluid such as water to push the chemicals to the production well.

Abstract: A process for producing petroleum from subterranean formations is disclosed wherein production from the formation is obtained by driving a fluid from an injection well to a production well. The process involves injecting via the injection well into the formation an aqueous solution of oxidized lignosulfonate salt as a sacrificial agent to inhibit the deposition of surfactant and/or polymer on the reservoir matrix. The process may best be carried out by injecting the oxidized lignosulfonates into the formation through the injection well mixed with either a polymer, a surfactant solution and/or a micellar dispersion. This mixture would then be followed by a drive fluid such as water to push the chemicals to the production well.

Abstract: The instant invention is concerned with the use of organic acid chrome complexes for stabilizing a formation against clay swelling and particle migration and, in one embodiment, to improve oil recovery by rendering watered out channels within a produced formation water repellent and oil wettable.

Abstract: Disclosed is a surfactant fluid employing two or more surfactants, one anionic and one or more non-ionic surfactant containing two or more polyethoxy chains such as dipolyethoxylated alkylcatechols or dipolyethoxylated primary alkylamines and a process using the fluid for recovering oil from formations which also contain water having high salinities, e.g., salinities greater than about 40,000 parts per million, and which may include high concentrations of divalent ions such as calcium and/or magnesium, e.g., greater than about 3,000 parts per million calcium and magnesium. Nonionic surfactants having two or more polyethoxy chains have substantially higher cloud points than corresponding nonionic surfactants with similar oil soluble groups and the same number of ethoxy groups in a single chain. Superior results are obtained if the nonionic surfactant is chosen to have a cloud point from 20.degree. F to 80.degree. F above the formation temperature.

Abstract: A method of transporting viscous hydrocarbons which involves introducing into a pipeline or well-bore with the viscous hydrocarbons a solution containing an oxyalkylated anionic surfactant such as sodium nonyl phenol polyoxyethylene sulfonate or a mixture of such surfactants and, optionally, with an alkalinity agent thereby forming a low-viscosity, salt-tolerant oil-in-water emulsion.

Abstract: Surfactant systems employing two or more surfactants, one anionic and one or more non-ionic surfactants such as polyethoxylated alkylaryl compounds or polyethoxylated alkyl or alkylaryl thiol, are useful in recovering oil from formations which also contain water having high salinities, e.g., salinities greater than about 40,000 parts per million, and which may also contain high concentrations of divalent ions such as calcium and/or magnesium, e.g., greater than about 3,000 parts per million calcium and magnesium. Polyethoxylated alcohols, alkyl phenols or polyethoxylated alkyl or alkylaryl thiols have well defined cloud points, and as a consequence thereof, if the formation temperature is much above the cloud point of the polyethoxylated compound, the surfactant fluid exhibits phase instability which degrades the oil recovery efficiency.

Abstract: A process for producing petroleum from subterranean formations is disclosed wherein production from the formation is obtained by driving a fluid from an injection well to a production well. The process involves injecting via the injection well into the formation an aqueous solution of lignosulfonate salt as a sacrificial agent to inhibit the deposition of surfactant contained in a micellar dispersion (microemulsion) on the reservoir matrix. Normally the process would be carried out by first injecting the lignosulfonates into the formation through the injection well and following them with a micellar dispersion which may contain lignosulfonates. The micellar dispersion would then be followed by a drive fluid such as water to push the dispersion to the production well.