Wells – Processes – With indicating – testing – measuring or locating
Reexamination Certificate
2011-08-02
2011-08-02
Suchfield, George (Department: 3676)
Wells
Processes
With indicating, testing, measuring or locating
C166S252100, C166S270100, C166S275000, C166S400000, C507S277000, C507S904000, C507S936000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07987907
ABSTRACT:
Method for increasing the recovery of crude oil from a reservoir containing at least one porous and permeable subterranean formation wherein the formation includes sandstone rock and at least one mineral that has a negative zeta potential under the reservoir conditions and wherein crude oil and connate water are present within the pores of the formation. The method is carried out by (A) injecting into the formation a slug of an aqueous displacement fluid that displaces crude oil from the surface of the pores of the formation wherein the pore volume (PV) of the slug of the aqueous displacement fluid is at least 0.2 and less than 1 and the aqueous displacement fluid has a total dissolved solids (TDS) content in the range of 200 to 10,000 ppm and the fraction of the total multivalent cation content of the aqueous displacement fluid to the total multivalent cation content of the connate water is less than 1, and (B) subsequently injecting into the formation a drive water of higher multivalent cation content and/or higher total dissolved solids content than the aqueous displacement fluid.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3369602 (1968-02-01), Fallgatter et al.
patent: 3414053 (1968-12-01), Treiber et al.
patent: 3467190 (1969-09-01), Townsend et al.
patent: 3474864 (1969-10-01), Hurd
patent: 3648770 (1972-03-01), Sydansk et al.
patent: 3688844 (1972-09-01), Roszelle
patent: 3827499 (1974-08-01), Norton et al.
patent: 3888309 (1975-06-01), Rhudy et al.
patent: 3927716 (1975-12-01), Burdyn et al.
patent: RE29219 (1977-05-01), Flournoy et al.
patent: 4036300 (1977-07-01), Holm et al.
patent: 4122895 (1978-10-01), Sitton et al.
patent: 4250961 (1981-02-01), Morse et al.
patent: 4359093 (1982-11-01), Bernard
patent: 4723603 (1988-02-01), Plummer
patent: 1 520 877 (1978-08-01), None
patent: 2005/106192 (2005-11-01), None
International Search Report for PCT/GB2007/003337, mailed Dec. 10, 2007.
Written Opinion of the International Searching Authority for PCT/GB2007/003337, mailed Dec. 10, 2007.
PL McGuire et al., “Low Salinity Oil Recovery: An Exciting New EOR Opportunity for Alaska's North.Slope”, Society of Petroleum Engineers, vol. 2, No. 93903, 2005, pp. 422-436. XP009092800.
SF Alkafeef et al., “Measurement of the Electrokinetic Potential at Reservoir Rock Surfaces and Avoiding the Effect of Surface Conductivity”, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, vol. 159, 1999, pp. 263-270. XP002460406.
Guo-Qing Tang et al., “Influence of Brine Composition and Fines Migration on Crude Oil/Brine/Rock Interactions and Oil Recovery”, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 24 1999, pp. 99-111.
Norman R Morrow et al., “Prospects of Improved Oil Recovery Related to Wettability and Brine Composition”, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 20 (1998) pp. 267-276.
Eric P. Robertson, “Low-Salinity Waterflooding to Improve Oil Recovery—Historical Field Evidence”, SPE 109965, 2007.
K Kosutic et al., “Removal of Sulfates and Other Inorganics from Potable Water by Nanofiltration Membrane of Characterized Porosity”, Separation and Purification Technology 37 (2004) p. 177-185.
George G. Bernard, “Effect of Floodwater Salinity on Recovery of Oil Form Cores Containing Clays”, American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers (1967) SPE 1725.
G Q Tang et al., “Salinity, Temperature, Oil Composition, and Oil Recovery by Waterflooding”, SPE Reservoir Engineering, Nov. 1997, pp. 269-276.
Gary R. Jerauld et al., “Modeling Low-Salinity Water Flooding”, SPE 102239 (1996).
C E Cooke et al., “Oil Recovery by Alkaline Waterflooding”, Journal of Petroleum Technology, Dec. 1974, pp. 1365-1374.
Robert Ehrlich et al., “Interrelation of Crude Oil and Rock Properties with the Recovery of Oil by Caustic Waterflooding”, Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal, No. 5830, Aug. 1977, pp. 263-269.
C E Johnson, “Status of Caustic and Emulsion Methods”, Journal of Petroleum Technology, SPE 5561, Jan. 1976, pp. 86-92.
J E Smith, “How to Rate Crude Oils for Alkaline Flooding Potential: A Study Based on 239 Crude Oils”, Society of Petroleum Engineers, No. 25171, pp. 211-221.
Charles M. Hudgins et al., “How Conoco Floods with Seawater”, The Oil and Gas Journal—Feb. 15, 1971, pp. 71-77.
E H Mayer, Alkaline Injection for Enhanced Oil Recovery—A Status Report, Journal of Petroleum Technology, Jan. 1983, pp. 209-221.
T. Austad et al., “Seawater as IOR Fluid in Fractured Chalk”, SPE 93000, Society of Petroleum Engineers Inc., Feb. 2005. pp. 1-9.
P. Zhang et al., “Waterflooding in Chalk: Relationship Between Oil Recovery, New Wettability Index, Brine Compositionand Cationic Wettability Modifier”, SPE 94209, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Jun. 2005., pp. 1-7.
Preliminary Report on Patentability for PCT/GB2007/003337, mailed Dec. 10, 2007.
Collins Ian Ralph
Jerauld Gary Russell
BP Corporation North America Inc.
BP Exploration Operating Company Limited
Nixon & Vanderhye
Suchfield George
LandOfFree
Hydrocarbon recovery process does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Hydrocarbon recovery process, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Hydrocarbon recovery process will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2676892