The Standard Oil Company

Kathleen M Wallace

Lawrence E Ball

Amy L Nemecek

William M Griffin

A polymer is disclosed which is represented by the formula ##STR1## wherein: Y is hydrogen, ammonium, an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal; R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 are independently hydrogen or alkyl groups of 1 to about 3 carbon atoms; R.sup.2 is hydrogen or an alkyl group of 2 to about 3 carbon atoms, and R.sup.4 is hydrogen or an alkyl group of 1 to about 3 carbon atoms, with the proviso that R.sup.2 is not the same as R.sup.4 and either R.sup.2 or R.sup.4 is hydrogen; m is a number sufficient to provide the acid or salt portion of said polymer at a level of from about 10% to about 90% by weight of the total weight of said polymer; n is a number sufficient to provide the amide portion of said polymer at a level of from about 10% to about 90% by weight of the total weight of said polymer; and x is a number sufficient to provide said polymer with a molecular weight of at least about 100,000. A method for recovering oil from a subterranean formation comprising injecting into said formation an aqueous composition comprising a thickening amount of the foregoing polymer is also disclosed.

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Chardon, OH, United States of America

Kathleen M Wallace