Patent ID: 11867039
Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Field: Basic materials chemistry (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC E  C | IPC C  E

Claim 0:
1. A method for enhanced oil recovery in a reservoir, comprising:
injecting a microsphere suspension, comprising polymeric microspheres dispersed in seawater, into an injection well in the reservoir, wherein the polymeric microspheres are between about 10 nm and about 100 nm;
injecting SmartWater into the injection well in the reservoir to swell the polymeric microspheres diverting flow of the SmartWater into unswept regions of the reservoir;
injecting saltwater into the injection well to shrink the polymeric microspheres and move the polymeric microspheres in the reservoir;
injecting a second slug of Smartwater into the injection well to swell the polymeric microspheres and diverting flow into another unswept region in the reservoir; and
producing oil from a production well in the reservoir.