Patent ID: 9399904
Filing Date: 2016-07-26
CPC Classification: E21B

Claim Text:
1. A method for recovering petroleum comprising: providing an oil recovery formulation that comprises at least 15 mol % dimethyl sulfide, wherein the oil recovery formulation is first contact miscible with liquid phase petroleum; providing steam or hot water having a temperature of at least 85° C.; introducing the steam or hot water and the oil recovery formulation together into a subterranean oil-bearing formation comprising crude oil having a dynamic viscosity of at least 1000 mPa s (1000 cP) at 25° C. and an API gravity at 15.5° C. (60° F.) of at most 20°, wherein the oil recovery formulation comprises at least 15 wt. % of the combined steam or hot water and oil recovery formulation introduced together into the formation; contacting the steam or hot water and the oil recovery formulation with the oil in the formation; and producing oil from the formation after introducing the steam or hot water and the oil recovery formulation into the formation.