Miscible-Type Waterflooding: Oil Recovery with Micellar Solutions

Abstract

A new recovery process for producing oil under both secondary and tertiary conditions utilizes the unique properties of micellar solutions (also known as microemulsions, swollen micelles, and soluble oils). These solutions, which displace 100 percent of the oil in the reservoir contacted, can be driven through the reservoir with water and are stable in the presence of reservoir water and rock. Basic components of micellar solutions are surfactant, hydrocarbon and water. They may also contain small amounts of electrolytes and co-surfactants such as alcohols. The specific reservoir application dictates the type and concentration of each component. A salient feature of the process is the capability for mobility control. Micellar solution slug mobility, by way of viscosity control, is made equal to or less than the combined oil and water mobility. Mobility control continues with a mobility buffer that prevents drive water from contacting the micellar solution. Laboratory and field flooding have proven that the process is technically feasible and that surfactant losses by adsorption on porous media are small. Introduction Projects are under way to recover the maximum amount of oil under the most favorable economic conditions. New techniques are being developed to increase oil recovery. Polymer solutions are becoming an important means of controlling mobility in a waterflood. Thermal methods such as in-situ combustion and steam injection are being used in reservoirs containing highly viscous crudes. Surfactant flooding is receiving attention as a method of reducing interfacial tension to increase recovery. Exotic recovery processes have been considered primarily for secondary operations. Economics are unfavorable in most cases for tertiary recovery. Studies at the Denver Research Center of the Marathon Oil Co. have led to a new oil recovery method. Micellar solutions (sometimes called microemulsions, swollen micelles, and soluble oils) are used to recover oil by miscible-type waterflooding. Basically, these solutions contain surfactant, hydrocarbon, and water. The method can be used in either secondary or tertiary operations.

Enhanced Oil Recovery - An Overview

“…Micellar flooding [26,27] has been more successful in the field than other chemical flooding processes. The main components of this method are a microemulsion slug (also known as a micellar slug) and a polymer slug.…”

A review of novel techniques for heavy oil and bitumen extraction and upgrading

“…Micellar flooding refers to a fluid injection process in which a stable solution of oil, water, and one or more surfactants along with electrolytes of salts is injected into the formation and is displaced by a mobility buffer solution. [46][47][48][49] The main components of this method are a microemulsion slug (also known as a micellar slug) and a polymer slug. These two slugs are driven using brine.…”

Pre-prepared Microemulsion Flooding in Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Review

“…In 1963 Marathon Oil Company conducted the first attempt in enhancing oil recoveries Downloaded by [Gazi University] at 04:06 04 November 2014 through microemulsion injection. A few patents and papers were published by 1970 (Jones, 1964;Gogarty, 1966;Gogarty, 1967;Cooke, 1968;Davis and Jones, 1968;Gogarty and Tosch, 1968;Gogarty and Jones, 1969). Later, these introductory and separate efforts were united and extended in the 1970s.…”