Method, system, and composition for producing oil

Abstract

A method, system, and composition for producing oil from a formation utilizing an oil recovery formulation comprising a surfactant, an alkali, a polymer, and a paraffin inhibitor are provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for recovering oil from an oil-bearing formation, comprising:
 providing an oil recovery formulation comprising a surfactant, a polymer, an alkali, and a paraffin inhibitor;   introducing the oil recovery formulation into at least a portion of the oil-bearing formation;   contacting the oil recovery formulation with oil in the oil-bearing formation; and   producing oil from the oil-bearing formation after introduction of the oil recovery formulation into the oil-bearing formation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the oil recovery formulation is further comprised of water, wherein the surfactant, the polymer, the alkali, and the paraffin inhibitor are dissolved in the water. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the water has a total dissolved solids content of from 200 ppm to 100000 ppm. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is an anionic surfactant. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of an alpha olefin sulfonate compound, an internal olefin sulfonate compound, a branched alkyl benzene sulfonate compound, a propylene oxide sulfate compound, an ethylene-propylene oxide sulfate compound, or a blend thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylamides; partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides; copolymers of acrylamide, acrylic acid, AMPS (2-acrylamide-,methyl propane sulfonate) and n-vinylpyrrolidone in any ratio; polyacrylates; ethylenic co-polymers; biopolymers; carboxymethylcelloluses; polyvinyl alcohols; polystyrene sulfonates; polyvinylpyrrolidones; AMPS; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the alkali is selected from the group consisting of lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium carbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, lithium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, lithium silicate, lithium phosphate, sodium silicate, sodium phosphate, potassium silicate, potassium phosphate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the paraffin inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of alkyl acrylate copolymers, alkyl methacryalate copolymers, alkyl acrylate vinylpyridine copolymers, ethylene vinylacetate copolymers, maleic anhydride ester copolymers, styrene anhydride ester copolymers, branched polyethylenes, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the oil recovery formulation comprises from 0.05 wt. % to 5 wt. % of the surfactant, from 250 ppm to 10000 ppm of the polymer, from 0.001 wt. % to 5 wt. % of the alkali, and from 5 ppm to 5000 ppm of the paraffin inhibitor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the oil-bearing formation is a subterranean formation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the oil-bearing formation is a subsea formation. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the oil of the oil-bearing formation comprises at least 1 wt. % wax forming paraffinic hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the oil of the oil-bearing formation has a cloud point of at least 15° C. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the oil of the oil-bearing formation has a cloud point within 5° C. of the minimum temperature of the portion of the formation contacted with the oil recovery formulation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the oil recovery formulation has a dynamic viscosity within 50% of the dynamic viscosity of oil of the oil-bearing formation when measured isothermally. 
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 an oil recovery formulation comprising a surfactant, a polymer, an alkali, and a paraffin inhibitor;   an oil-bearing formation;   a mechanism for introducing the oil recovery formulation into the oil-bearing formation; and   a mechanism for producing oil from the oil-bearing formation subsequent to introduction of the aqueous oil recovery formulation into the oil-bearing formation.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the oil recovery formulation is further comprised of a fluid comprising water having a total dissolved solids content of from 200 ppm to 100000 ppm . 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the paraffin inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of alkyl acrylate copolymers, alkyl methacryalte copolymers, alkyl acrylate vinylpyridine copolymers, ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers, maleic anhydride ester copolymers, styrene anhydride ester copolymers, branched polyethylenes, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the oil-bearing formation is a subterranean formation. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the oil-bearing formation is a subsea formation. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the oil of the oil-bearing formation has a cloud point of at least 15° C. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the oil of the oil-bearing formation comprises at least 1 wt. % wax forming paraffinic hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the mechanism for introducing the oil recovery formulation into the formation is located at a first well extending into the formation. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the mechanism for producing oil from the formation is located at a second well extending into the formation.