Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Salvatore James Pace

Jan Bock

Ramesh Varadaraj

Max Leo Robbins

Donald N Schulz

Paul L Valint

Cornelius Hendrick Brons

Donald B Siano

Hartley H Downs

A composition for dispersing oil slicks consisting of a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different oxyalkylene or polyoxyalkylene groups, and wherein R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same or different alkyl or alkenyl groups. The composition also includes a carrier solvent.

Oil slick dispersants

A triple tail surfactant composition useful in emulsifying viscous hydrocarbon with water is disclosed. The composition includes an organic solvent and at least one triple tail surfactant represented by the formulae ##STR1## where R is where R is an alkyl group of from about 6 to about 20 carbon atoms; A is a polyhydric alcohol radical, especially a hexitol radical; Y an alkenyl group of from 2 to about 4 carbon atoms; n is an integer of from 0 to 25; and Z is --H, --SO.sup.-.sub.3 M.sup.+, --SO.sup.-.sub.2 M.sup.+, or --PO.sup.-.sub.3 M.sup.+ where M is an alkali metal.

Triple tail surfactant formulations for emulsification of heavy

A composition for dispersing oil slicks comprises a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 may be the same or different oxyalkylene or polyoxyalkylene groups, and

The present invention provides a composition for dispersing oil slicks comprising a twin tail surfactant or mixture of twin tail surfactants having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 may be the same or different alkyl or alkenyl groups; R.sub.2 is H or OH; and x is from 1 to about 20.

Polyoxyethylene glycol and polyglycerol twin tail surfactant

This invention relates to a method for enhanced recovery of petroleum from a subterranean oil-bearing formation. More particularly, this invention relates to secondary or tertiary recovery of oil employing a polymer-thickened aqueous drive fluid. The polymeric viscosifier for the drive fluid is selected from a class of hydrophobically associating, water soluble polymers containing one or more water soluble monomers and a water insoluble monomer group. The water soluble groups are acrylamide and a salt of acrylic acid and the water insoluble group is a higher alkylacrylamide. These polymers, when dissolved in an aqueous brine solution, have the ability to substantially increase the viscosity of the aqueous solution. The control of displacement fluid mobility results in more uniform sweep efficiency and improved oil recovery. In addition, aqueous solutions of these hydrophobically associating polymers exhibit enhanced viscosification, reduced salt sensitivity and other desirable rheological properties found useful in chemically enhanced oil recovery processes.

Enhanced oil recovery with hydrophobically associating polymers

This invention relates to a method for enhanced recovery of petroleum from a subterranean oil-bearing formation. More particularly, this invention relates to secondary or tertiary recovery of oil employing a polymer thickened aqueous drive fluid. The polymeric viscosifier for the drive fluid is selected from a class of hydrophobically associating water soluble polymers containing one or more water soluble monomers and a water insoluble monomer or group. The water soluble groups are acrylamide and a salt of an ethylenically unsaturated sulfonic acid and the water insoluble group is a higher alkyl acrylamide. These polymers, when dissolved in an aqueous brine solution, have the ability to substantially increase the viscosity of the solution. The control of displacement fluid mobility results in more uniform sweep efficiency and improved oil recovery. In addition, aqueous solutions of these hydrophobically associating polymers exhibit enhanced viscosification, reduced salt sensitivity and other desirable rheological properties found useful in chemically enhanced oil recovery processes.

Surfactant-free stable aqueous foams may be produced by water soluble copolymers of acrylamide and N-alkylacrylamide with chain lengths greater than or equal to 6 carbons. Additionally, these polymers may contain an anionic monomer, such as a monovalent salt of acrylic acid. These copolymers and terpolymers are added to water or brine at a concentration of 0.005 to 2 parts per 100 of solvent. When the resulting solutions are subjected to intensive mixing with the addition of air or other gases, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide, high quality, persistent foams are formed. These foams are formed at relatively low polymer concentrations without added surfactants. They have good high temperature stability and excellent salt tolerance.

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Milford, NJ, United States of America

Salvatore James Pace