Abstract: A method for transporting heavy crude oil through a pipeline which involves introducing into a pipeline or well-bore with the viscous hydrocarbons an aqueous solution containing (1) a sulfonate surfactant, (2) a rosin soap or a naphthenic acid soap and, optionally (3) coupling agent whereby there is spontaneously formed a low viscosity, salt tolerant, oil-in-water emulsion. Also disclosed is a method of recovery of hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon bearing formation employing an aqueous solution containing (1) a sulfonate surfactant, (2) a rosin soap or a naphthenic acid soap and, optionally (3) a coupling agent.

Abstract: A method for transporting heavy crude oil through a pipeline which involves introducing into a pipeline or well-bore with the viscous hydrocarbons an aqueous solution containing (1) a sulfonate surfactant, (2) a rosin soap or a naphthenic acid soap and, optionally (3) a coupling agent whereby there is spontaneously formed a low viscosity, salt tolerant, oil-in-water emulsion.

Abstract: A method for transporting viscous hydrocarbons which involves introducing into a pipeline or well-bore with the viscous hydrocarbons a solution containing (1) an anionic surfactant such as sodium tridecyl sulfate, sodium oleate, etc., or an oxyalkylated anionic surfactant of the sulfonate or sulfate type, and mixtures of the surfactants mentioned and (2) an alkalinity agent such as sodium hydroxide, thereby forming a low viscosity, salt-tolerant, oil-in-water emulsion. Optionally, the solution may contain a small amount of a guanidine salt or a water-soluble oxyalkylated, nitrogen-containing aromatic compound such as ethoxylated-8-hydroxy quinoline.

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 method for transporting viscous hydrocarbons which involves introducing into a pipeline or well-bore with the viscous hydrocarbons a solution containing (1) an anionic surfactant such as sodium tridecyl sulfate, sodium oleate, etc., or an oxyalkylated anionic surfactant of the sulfonate or sulfate type, and mixtures of the surfactants mentioned and (2) an alkalinity agent such as sodium hydroxide, thereby forming a low viscosity, salt-tolerant, oil-in-water emulsion. Optionally, the solution may contain a small amount of a guanidine salt or a water-soluble oxyalkylated, nitrogen-containing aromatic compound such as ethoxylated-8-hydroxy quinoline.

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 for transporting heavy crude oil through a pipeline which involves introducing into a pipeline or well-bore with the viscous hydrocarbons an aqueous solution containing (1) a sulfonate surfactant, (2) a rosin soap or a naphthenic acid soap and, optionally (3) a coupling agent whereby there is spontaneously formed a low viscosity, salt tolerant, oil-in-water emulsion.

Abstract: A method for transporting viscous hydrocarbons which involves introducing into a pipeline or well-bore with the viscous hydrocarbons a solution containing (1) an anionic surfactant such as sodium tridecyl sulfate, sodium oleate, etc., or an oxyalkylated anionic surfactant of the sulfonate or sulfate type, and mixtures of the surfactants mentioned and (2) an alkalinity agent such as sodium hydroxide, thereby forming a low viscosity, salt-tolerant, oil-in-water emulsion. Optionally, the solution may contain a small amount of a guanidine salt or a water-soluble oxyalkylated, nitrogen-containing aromatic compound such as ethoxylated-8-hydroxy quinoline.

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 novel, thickened, miscible flooding medium to displace petroleum in subterranean reservoirs is a dispersion of light hydrocarbons, water and a surfactant system. The water may have from about 1500 to 12,000 parts per million polyvalent ions such as calcium and/or magnesium. The surfactant system comprises a water soluble salt of an alkyl or an alkylaryl sulfonate plus a water soluble salt of an alkyl or alkylaryl polyethoxy sulfate anionic surfactant plus a nonionic surfactant such as a polyethoxylated alkyl phenol, a polyethoxylated aliphatic alcohol or a fatty acid mono or dialkanolamide.

Abstract: A method of transporting viscous hydrocarbons which involves introducing into a pipeline or well-bore with the viscous hydrocarbons a solution containing an anionic surfactant or soap such as sodium tridecyl sulfate or sodium oleate together with a guanidine salt and optionally with an alkalinity agent and/or a nonionic surfactant such as a polyethoxylated alcohol thereby forming a low viscosity salt tolerant oil-in-water emulsion.

Abstract: The efficiency of an oil recovery process of the type wherein an aqueous surfactant solution is injected into a subterranean, petroleum-containing formation is increased by determining the optimum range of salinity and hardness e.g. calcium and magnesium, for the particular surfactant being used, and formulating an aqueous preflush solution, the salinity and hardness of which are within the range for optimum surfactant effectiveness, and adding an effective amount of hydrophilic polymer to yield a suitable viscosity greater than the formation water viscosity, and injecting the aqueous preflush solution into the formation prior to injection of the surfactant solution. The viscous, controlled salinity and hardness solution displaces the formation water effectively, thereby insuring that the salinity and hardness of the surfactant solution will be at or near an optimum value for oil recovery.