Oil recovery by waterflooding employing a biopolymer-surfactant system

摘要

A process for the recovery of oil from subterranean oil reservoirs by waterflooding employing a multicomponent anionic-nonionic surfactant system in combination with a Xanthomonas polysaccharide thickening agent. The surfactant system and polysaccharide provide for an enhanced thickening action in the injected aqueous liquid at relatively low shear rates. The anionic surfactant employed is an amide-linked sulfonate and the nonionic component is a polyethylene oxide type surfactant.