Claims
- 1. A fluid for the secondary recovery of oil comprising brine and a surfactant which is a compound of the formula ##STR13## where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different and are C.sub.1 -C.sub.15 hydrocarbyl, R.sub.3 is C.sub.0-5 alkyl, M is a cation and n is a rational number from 2 to 6 said surfactant being present in said brine in an amount sufficient to enhance secondary or tertiary recovery of oil from subterranean reservoirs.
- 2. A fluid according to claim 1, wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are C.sub.4 -C.sub.10 alkyl, R.sub.3 is CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 and n is a rational number from 2 to 4.
- 3. A fluid according to claim 2, wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are --CH.sub.2 CH(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.4 H.sub.9, M is NA and n is 3.2.
- 4. A fluid according to claim 2, wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are n-hexyl, M is Na, and n is 2.2.
- 5. A fluid according to claim 2, wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are --CH.sub.2 CH(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.4 H.sub.9, M is Na and n is 2.4.
- 6. A fluid according to claim 2, wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are --CH.sub.2 CH(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.4 H.sub.9, M is Na and n is 3.6.
- 7. A fluid according to claim 2, wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are --CH.sub.2 CH(C.sub.2 H.sub.5)C.sub.4 H.sub.9, M is Na and n is 3.0.
- 8. A process for recovering oil from a subterranean oil reservoir having one or more production wells and one or more injection wells in contact with said oil reservoir, said process comprising
- contacting said oil reservoir with an aqueous medium including a compound of the formula ##STR14## where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different and are C.sub.1 -C.sub.15 hydrocarbyl, R.sub.3 is C.sub.0-5 alkyl, M is a cation and n is a rational number from 2 to 6 at a concentration effective to increase oil production from said production well during secondary water flooding or to recover residual tertiary oil when the oil reservoir has been previously flooded.
- 9. A process according to claim 8, wherein said reservoir has a salinity of from about 4 to about 30%.
- 10. A process according to claim 9, wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are C.sub.4 -C.sub.10 alkyl, R.sub.3 is CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2, M is Na and n is a rational number from 2 to 4.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This Application is a division of copending Application Ser. No. 413,591 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,079. Copending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 413,573, filed Aug. 31, 1982, in the name of Dennis H. Hoskin and Kirk D. Schmitt, relates to methods for making 1,3-dihydrocarboxy-2-propoxypolyethoxypropane sulfonate surfactants.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
49-41415 |
Aug 1974 |
JPX |
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
413591 |
Aug 1982 |
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