Patent Number: 10,030,194

Title: Method for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of treating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising the following steps: a) preparing an internal olefin sulfonate, comprising sulfonating an internal olefin into sulfonated internal olefin followed by contacting sulfonated internal olefin with a base containing solution resulting in the internal olefin sulfonate, wherein sulfonated internal olefin is contacted with the base containing solution in the presence of a non-ionic surfactant, and/or after step a) but before step b), the internal olefin sulfonate and said non-ionic surfactant are combined; b) transporting an aqueous solution comprising the internal olefin sulfonate and the non-ionic surfactant to the location of the hydrocarbon containing formation; c) providing the internal olefin sulfonate and the non-ionic surfactant to at least a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation; and d) allowing the internal olefin sulfonate and the non-ionic surfactant to interact with the hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing formation.

Inventors: Barnes; Julian Richard (Amsterdam, NL), Buechele; James Laurel (Houston, TX), Dirkzwager; Hendrik (Elburg, NL), Ellison; Robert Hardy (Katy, TX), Smit; Johan Paul (Amsterdam, NL)

Assignee: SHELL OIL COMPANY

International Classification: E21B 43/16 (20060101); C09K 8/584 (20060101)

Expiration Date: 2022-07-24 0:00:00