The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 20, 1987
Filed:
Sep. 07, 1982
Applicant:
Inventors:
Sophany Thach, Dallas, TX (US);
Stephen J Salter, Dallas, TX (US);
Kevin O Meyers, Plano, TX (US);
Ronald M Giordano, Plano, TX (US);
Assignee:
Atlantic Richfield Company, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
C09K / ; B01J / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
252-8554 ; 252-8515 ; 252312 ; 252330 ; 252344 ; 166266 ; 166267 ; 166274 ;
Abstract
When sulfonated surfactants are used to displace crude oil from a subterranean formation, the produced oil and water contain the surfactant and form a tight emulsion. This crude oil-water-surfactant emulsion is broken with a strong inorganic acid, for example, hydrochloric acid. The amount of acid added is sufficient to lower the pH of the water in the emulsion to 3.0 or lower. Thereafter, the oil is separated from the emulsion by conventional techniques.