Mobil Oil Corporation

Billy J Dotson

Aziz S Odeh

Tsoung-Yuan Yan

Corrected water relative permeability values for a core sample are determined from dynamic displacement measurements by the steps of plotting a ratio of water rate output (q.sub.w) to calculated water relative permeability values (k.sub.rw) vs. average water saturation (S.sub.w), determining if a straight line segment exists in areas of the plot corresponding to high average oil saturations, and if it does, extrapolating the straight line segment to the end of the plotted data, otherwise plotting a tangent to the plotted ratio from a beginning point of the plot, producing a line in parallel with the extrapolated straight line segment or the tangent line but shifted so as to pass through the irreducible water saturation point S.sub.iw, and correcting the calculated water relative permeability values k.sub.rw by multiplying the calculated values k.sub.rw by a ratio of a value on the q.sub.w /k.sub.rw plot to a value on the constructed straight line. The applied corrections eliminate distortions in the calculated water relative permeability values k.sub.rw due to an end effect at the core sample which causes distortions in the dynamic displacement measurements.

Method for determining consistent water relative permeability values

A method of recovering heavy oil from a subterranean, permeable, heavy oil-bearing reservoir in which an oxygen-containing gas is injected into the lower portion of the reservoir to establish an in-situ combustion reaction therein and to form a combustion front near the injection well. Injection of the oxygen-containing gas is continued to advance the combustion front that heats the oil and generates gas to displace the oil through the reservoir toward a producing well. Water is injected into the upper portion of the reservoir during combustion to prevent gases from migrating into the upper portion of the reservoir, scavenge heat from the burned out portion of the reservoir, and displace oil from the reservoir, particularly the lower region, toward a production well. The areal sweep efficiency of the injected water may be improved by the addition of thickening agents and water-soluble polymers.

Method of improved oil recovery by simultaneous injection of water with

The ammonium ions in a subterranean clay-containing formation may be removed by flushing the formation with a calcium ion containing restoration fluid having substantially the highest pH effective to prevent precipitation of calcium hydroxide from said restoration fluid. The calcium ion concentration in the restoration fluid is maintained between about 10,000 and 100,000 ppm until the ammonia concentration in the produced fluid peaks or is less than about 100 ppm. Thereafter the calcium ion concentration is maintained at about 400 to about 600 ppm until the desired level of ammonia is obtained, usually about 1-3 ppm.

Method for removing ammonium ions from a subterranean formation

The present invention relates to a method for improving the recovery of mineral values from ore bodies subjected to in-situ leaching by controlling the flow behavior of the leaching solution. Foam is introduced into the higher permeability zones of the ore body to act as a diverting agent forcing the leaching fluids into the lower permeability previously non-contacted areas resulting in increased mineral values recovery.

In-situ uranium leaching

A method for recovering heavy oil from a subterranean, permeable, heavy oil-containing formation comprising injecting steam into the lower portion of the formation, injecting a controlled amount of unheated water into the upper portion of the formation and displacing the oil through the formation toward a production well where the oil is produced. The steam injection releases heat (BTU) to the heavy oil and formation reducing the viscosity of the oil and increasing its mobility for recovery. The sequence of injection of the water and steam is designed to yield the maximum oil recovery per BTU injected by increasing the volume of the formation subjected to heating and increasing the vertical sweep.

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Grand Prairie, TX, United States of America

Billy J Dotson