Oil recovery process using arkyl aryl polyalkoxyol sulfonate surfactants as mobility control agents

摘要

A method for recovering oil from a subterranean formation is disclosed wherein an aqueous surfactant solution is injected into the formation to reduce the mobility of gas in a gas-flooding process. The gas may include hydrocarbon gas, inert gas, carbon dioxide, and steam, or mixtures thereof. The surfactant is represented by the general formula IMAGE where R is a linear or branched chain alkyl group with n carbon atoms wherein n ranges from about 6 to about 50, except that if the gas is steam n ranges from about 9 to about 50; Ar is a mononuclear or fused ring dinuclear aryl group; Z is an ionic group consisting of -SO3-M+ or -R'SO3-M+ wherein M+ is a cation and R' is a linear or branched chain alkyl group of from one to about six carbon atoms; x ranges from 0 to about 20; and y ranges from 3 to about 100.