Patent ID: 11883783
Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  C  E | IPC B  C  E

Claim 0:
1. A method of electrochemically treating a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the method comprising:
(a) electrochemically treating an aqueous fluid to provide a first fluid having a first electrochemical potential and a second fluid having a second electrochemical potential, wherein the first electrochemical potential the second electrochemical potential have opposite signs;
(b) introducing an amount of the first fluid into the hydrocarbon bearing formation;
(c) altering an electrochemical potential of the hydrocarbon-bearing formation by contacting surfaces of the hydrocarbon-bearing formation with the first fluid;
(d) introducing an amount of a chemically inert spacer fluid into the hydrocarbon-bearing formation; and
(e) repeating steps (b)-(d) until an end point is reached.