Abstract:
Significant improvement in the recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation is accomplished by injecting into the formation via an injection well drilled into a formation communicating with an adjacent producing well and containing sandstone and clay components, and aqueous solution of an acid such as hydrochloric acid and a fluorine-containing acid or salt and having dissolved therein an oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid polymer whereupon the acid solution reacts with the acid soluble components of the formation creating passageways thus facilitating the flow of fluids therein and thereby increasing the recovery of hydrocarbons from the formation through the adjacent production well.

Description:
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 877,137, filed Feb. 13, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,476,  which in turn is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 753,125, filed Dec. 22, 1976, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a process for the recovery of hydrocarbons from subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formations containing sandstone and clay components in which the permeability and porosity of the formation communicating between the producing well and adjacent injection well are increased by treating with an aqueous solution of an acid such as hydrochloric acid, etc. and a fluorine-containing acid or salt and having dissolved therein an oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid polymer thereby facilitating the flow of fluids through the formation resulting in increased hydrocarbon recovery via the production well. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In recovering oil from oil-bearing reservoirs it usually is possible to recover only a minor part of the original oil in place by the primary recovery methods which utilize the natural forces present in the reservoir. As a result, a variety of supplemental recovery techniques have been utilized to increase the recovery of oil from subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir or formation. Although these supplemental techniques are commonly referred to as secondary recovery operations in fact they may be primary or tertiary in sequence of employment. In such techniques, a fluid is introduced into the formation in order to displace the oil therein to a suitable production system through which the oil may be withdrawn to the surface of the earth. Examples of displacing mediums include gas, aqueous liquids such as fresh water or brine, oil-miscible liquids such as butane or a water and oil-miscible liquid such as an alcohol. Generally, the most promising of the secondary recovery techniques is concerned with the injection into the formation of an aqueous flooding medium either alone or in combination with other fluids. 
     In application of these conventional procedures for the production of hydrocarbons from similar formations by the secondary recovery method of water-injection, one of the principal difficulties that has been encountered is the generally low production response realized because of the low permeabilities and the consequent low rate of water acceptance of the communicating formation. Thus, these unfavorably low responses both in injection rate and in overall production have led to the abandonment of hydrocarbon production by water-injection methods from many formations containing sandstone and clay components after only a minimal amount of the oil-in-place has been produced. 
     Treatment of sandstone formations by mixed hydrochloric-hydrofluoric acids has been used in the past as a means of removing damage caused by the presence of clays either originally present in the formation or introduced into the formation during drilling operations. The removal of such clays is accomplished by dissolution by reaction with the hydrofluoric acid: 
     
         36HF+Al.sub.2 Si.sub.4 O.sub.10 (OH.sub.2)43 4H.sub.2 SiF.sub.6 +12H.sub.2 O+2H.sub.3 AlF.sub.6. 
    
     Furthermore, the hydrofluoric acid component of the mixed acid will react with the sand and other siliceous minerals according to the following equation: 
     
         6HF+SiO.sub.2 →H.sub.2 SiF.sub.6 +2H.sub.2 O. 
    
     The dissolution of both clays and siliceous material can materially increase the permeability and porosity of the formation and enhance the injectivity of wells utilized in secondary recovery operations. Although treatment of the formation in the vicinity of the injection well bore usually results in an increase in the flow capabilities of the formation, the response in production improvement may be only temporary. 
     It has been widely assumed that these mixed acid systems could be injected into a sandstone formation to dissolve clay at almost any depth from the wellbore, and that their reaction upon silica surfaces is so slow that little reaction takes place. A recent study (J. Pet. Tech., Vol. XXII, June 1970, p. 693) has shown that the reaction rate of mixed HCl-HF on clays is virtually instantaneous. Since clay is the mineral that usually causes reduction in fluid injection rates into sandstone formation, retarding the reaction rate of the acid mixture toward both sandstones and clays would be greatly beneficial. There are two types of mud damage: (1) Completion damage, which results from drilling mud permeating the pore spaces of the formation adjacent to the wellbore, which is generally limited to a zone extending about one inch from the wellbore, and (2) Natural damage, which results from a reduction in virgin permeability as a result of swelling or migration of sensitive clays which may cause plugging of the formation flow channels. Natural damage is usually thought to exist to a depth of 2 or 3 feet from the wellbore. However, it can extend 7 or 8 feet or more from the wellbore. One can see that when treating formations with natural clay damage, the production increase realized is dependent upon the distance which the hydrofluoric acid can be pumped into the formation before being spent. Furthermore, as the depth of damage increases, the need for an acid mixture which will attack the formation at a greater distance from the wellbore becomes more desirable. 
     One method suggested to overcome the abovementioned disadvantage of the fast reaction of the acid solution in the vicinity of the wellbore has been the use of &#34;retarded&#34; acids which consist, for example, of mineral acids and an additive which emulsifies the acid, a combination of which affects the acidization rate. Although such emulsified mixtures can be displaced into the formation before substantial reaction occurs, such compositions have the inherent disadvantage in that when the emulsion breaks and they do react, they usually react swiftly, often unpredictably with the result that problems of cavitation and channeling develop. More importantly, the use of such emulsified retarded acid has been limited to conventional acidization processes with hydrochloric acid alone, which has no utility in the dissolution of silica or clays. 
     The use of cross-linked copolymers of polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyacrylamides, polyurethanes, etc. to give materials which are insoluble in aqueous mineral acid solutions is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,529 to Hendrickson. Such insoluble, cross-linked polymers are utilized as agents for partially plugging channels developed during acidization treatment in order to effect acidic attack at greater distances from the wellbore. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,971 a similar acidization process is described in which copolymer prepared by polymerizing acrylamide and N-vinylpyrrolidone in the presence of a cross-linking agent, such as N,N&#39;-methylenebisacrylamide, is disclosed. These copolymers are insoluble in the aqueous mineral acid solutions employed in acidization operations and are utilized as dispersions in the acid solutions. Both of the previously mentioned acidization processes which utilize insoluble, cross-linked copolymers are distinctly different from the novel method of this invention in which a polymer soluble in aqueous mineral acid solutions is used. 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a process for the improved recovery of fluids and especially hydrocarbons from subterranean fluid-bearing formation by providing a process wherein a composition comprising an aqueous solution of a mineral acid, such as hydrochloric acid, and a fluorine-containing acid or salt, and having dissolved therein an oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid polymer or copolymer, is injected into a formation communicating between a producing well and an adjacent injection well, said formation containing sandstone and clay components and whereafter the acids and acid salts contained in the said composition react with the acid-soluble components of the formation to increase permeability and porosity of the formation thereby facilitating the flow of fluids therethrough. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a new and improved method for the recovery of hydrocarbons from subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formations in which there is injected into the formation via an injection well drilled into a formation communicating with an adjacent producing well and containing sandstone and clay components, a composition comprising an acidic aqueous polymer solution, i.e., an aqueous solution of a mineral acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric and sulfuric acid and a fluorine-containing acid or salt and having dissolved therein an oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid polymer or copolymer which is capable of reacting with the formation components at a reduced rate and which acids and acid salts thereof subsequently react with the acid-soluble components of the formation to increase the permeability, and porosity thereof thereby permitting a substantial increase of production of hydrocarbons from the formation via the production well. 
     A number of advantages result in treating subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation having sandstone and clay components therein with the acid aqueous polymer-containing compositions of this invention, namely: 
     1. The reaction rate of the acid with the formation acid-solubles, i.e., the sandstone and clay components, is greatly lessened. One of the most serious problems encountered in the use of mineral acids as acidizing agents, as previously mentioned, is the very rapid rate with which they react with such components in the formation with the result that the acid necessarily spends itself in the formation immediately adjacent the injection wellbore so that little beneficial effect is realized at any great distance from the bore within the formation under treatment. 
     2. The viscosity of the stimulation fluid is increased. Increasing the viscosity permits more uniform transmission of the fluid through the reservoir matrix and thus uniform permeability increase. In addition, fluid loss, or vertical leakage is minimized. 
     3. The injection rate of the flood is increased. Acidization in-depth accomplished during stimulation can greatly enhance the rate of injection. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The method of the present invention in its broadest embodiment comprises introducing via an injection well drilled into a hydrocarbon-bearing formation containing sandstone and clay components and communicating with a producing well a fluid composition comprising an acidic aqueous solution of an oxyalkylated, acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid polymer or copolymer in amounts sufficient to react with the sandstone and clay of formation so as to increase substantially the flow capability of the formation and to thereafter produce hydrocarbons from the said subterranean formation at an increased rate through the production well. The average molecular weight of the acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid polymers or copolymers utilized in the method of this invention generally will be from about 1000 to about 1,000,000 or more and, preferably, from about 1000 to about 400,000. 
     Highly advantageous results are realized in the recovery process of this invention when the water-soluble, oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid polymers employed comprises recurring units of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R, R a , R b , and R c  are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl having from 1 to 5 inclusive carbon atoms, R d  is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and --(C 2  H 4  O) m  M, wherein m is an integer of from 1 to about 20 and M is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, sodium, potassium and ammonium and R e  is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and --(C 2  H 4  O) s  M wherein s is an integer of from 1 to about 20 and with the proviso that when R d  is hydrogen then R e  is --(C 2  H 4  O) s  M and when R e  is hydrogen, then R d  is --(C 2  H 4  O) m  M. 
     Preferably, the acidic aqueous treating composition of this invention injected into the hydrocarbon-bearing formation comprises an aqueous solution of about 2 to about 12 percent by weight of a mineral acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and mixtures thereof and from about 1 to about 7 percent by weight of hydrofluoric acid and which contains dissolved therein between about 0.5 to about 5 percent by weight based on the total solution weight, of the water-soluble, oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid polymer or copolymer. 
     The oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid polymers employed show a high degree of compatibility (i.e., no reaction) with inorganic salt solutions of compounds such as magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, barium chloride, sodium chloride, etc. As expected, the intrinsic viscosity increases with concentration and molecular weight (degree of polymerization). 
     The oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid compounds utilized in preparing the polymers and copolymers employed in the novel treating compositions of this invention can be prepared by methods well known in the art. For example, the alkylene oxide can be reacted with the acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid dissolved in a suitable solvent throughout which an alkaline catalyst, such as potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, is uniformly dispersed. The quantity of the catalyst utilized generally will be from about 0.15 to about 1.0 percent by weight of the reactants. Preferably, the reaction temperature will range from about 80° C. to about 180° C. while the reaction time will be from about 1 to about 20 hours or more depending on the particular reaction conditions employed. This process is more completely described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,425,845. 
     Oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid compounds containing block propylene and polyethylene groups can be prepared by well-known methods such as taught, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,062,747; 2,174,761 or in 2,425,755. In general, the procedure consists in condensing the acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid initiator with propylene oxide in the presence of an oxyalkylation catalyst until the required amount of the oxide has reacted then continuing the oxyalkylated reaction with the ethylene oxide until the desired block oxyalkylated polymer is formed. 
     The oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid monomers can be homopolymerized, for example, in distilled water at 30° to 95° C. in 2 to 5 days or more and the reaction rate and extent of polymerization can be considerably increased by the addition of catalysts such as ferrous sulfate, heptahydrate, hydrogen peroxide, etc. 
     Copolymers useful in the novel treating compositions are prepared by copolymerizing (A) an oxyalkylated, acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R, R a , R b , R c , R d  and R e  have the same meaning as described above and (B) acrylamide, acrylic acid, acrylonitrile, maleic anhydride, N-vinylpyrrolidone, hydroxyethyl acrylate and butoxyethyl acrylate, etc. Generally about 60 to about 90 percent by weight of the copolymer will comprise recurring units derived from (A) above. The useful copolymers may be prepared by a variety of polymerization techniques well known in the art such as solution copolymerization, slurry copolymerization, etc. utilizing a wide variety of catalysts such as sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium metabisulfite, ammonium persulfate, azo-bis-isobutyronitrile, ferrous sulfate heptahydrate, hydrogen peroxide, etc. 
     The acidic polymer solutions employed in the process of this invention, preferably contain an inhibitor to prevent or greatly reduce corrosion attack on metals. A variety of such inhibitors are known in the art, e.g., certain compounds of arsenic, nitrogen or sulfur as described by Grebe et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 1,877,504. Likewise, rosinamine type inhibitors as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,970, may be utilized. A small but effective amount of the inhibitor is employed which generally ranges from about 0.02% to about 1.5% by weight of the acidic aqueous polymer solution. 
     In the first step of preparing the acidic aqueous polymer composition of this invention, a solution containing from about 2 to about 12 percent by weight of a mineral acid, such as hydrochloric acid, in fresh water is prepared, after which sufficient hydrofluoric acid is added to form a solution having about 1 to about 8 percent by weight of hydrofluoric acid. An inhibitor to prevent corrosion on the metal equipment associated with the wells is usually added with mixing in the next step. The required amount of the polymer is then admixed with the aqueous acid solution employing a blender or other suitable mixing device whereupon the polymer dissolves at a rather rapid rate. 
     The process of this invention can be carried out with a wide variety of injection and production systems which will comprise one or more wells penetrating the producing strata or formation. Such wells may be located and spaced in a variety of patterns which are well-known to those skilled in the art. For example, the so-called &#34;line flood&#34; pattern may be used in which case the injection and producing systems are composed of rows of wells spaced from one another. The recovery zone, i.e., that portion of the producing formation from which hydrocarbons are displaced by the drive fluid to the production system, in this instance will be that part of the formation underlying the area between the spaced rows. Another pattern which is frequently used is the so-called &#34;circular flood&#34; in which the injection system comprises a central injection well while the production system comprises a plurality of production wells spaced about the injection well. Likewise, the injection and production systems each may consist of only a single well and here the recovery zone will be that part of the producing strata underlying an elliptical-like area between the two wells which is subject to the displacing action of the aqueous drive fluid. For a more elaborate description of such recovery patterns reference is made to Uren, L. C., Petroleum Production Engineering-Oil Field Exploitation, Second Edition, McGraw Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, 1939, and to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,472,318 and 3,476,182. 
     In conducting the process of this invention, the acidic aqueous polymer solution prepared as described above is forced, usually via a suitable pumping system, down the well bore of an injection well and into the producing formation through which it is then displaced together with hydrocarbons of the formation in the direction of a production well. If the formation contains calcareous material, a preflush of hydrochloric acid having a concentration of about 1 to about 5 or more weight percent may be forced through the producing formation to prevent the precipitation of CaF 2  formed by reaction of hydrofluoric acid with calcium carbonate. If the connate water of the formation is hard, but little limestone present, a preflush with fresh water will suffice. Conventional flooding may then be resumed, in which case injectivity is increased due to acidization in depth. The acidic aqueous polymer solution of this invention also may be applied in a modified water flood operation in which there is injected into the wellbore a slug of the acidic aqueous polymer solution preceded by a pad of fresh water or hydrochloric acid if required, which is forced under pressure into the subterranean formation. This first step is then followed by a similar injection step wherein a slug of an aqueous drive fluid, such as water, is injected, which is thereafter followed by a repetition of the two steps. This sequence may be repeated to give a continuous cyclic process. The size of the slugs may be varied within rather wide limits and will depend on a number of conditions, including the thickness of the formation, its characteristics and the conditions for the subsequent injection of the aqueous drive medium. 
     It should be understood that the concentration of the polymer, the mineral acid and the hydrofluoric acid may be chosen to provide a displacing fluid of the desired rheological properties. Similarly, the appropriate molecular weight polymer is selected on the basis of the formation being treated as well as other operating conditions employed. 
     In another embodiment of this invention the acidic aqueous polymer solution is formed by adding to an aqueous solution of about 10 to about 18 percent of a mineral acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric and sulfuric acid and having dissolved therein from about 0.5 to about 5.0 percent by weight of an oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid polymer and from about 2.5 to about 10  percent by weight of a fluorine-containing salt selected from the group consisting of (A) fluoride salts such as ammonium fluoride, and lithium as well as (B) acid fluorides as exemplified by ammonium acid fluoride (NH 4  HF 2 ) and lithium acid fluoride (LiHF 2 ). The fluorine-containing salt when added to the solution of the mineral acid reacts to form hydrogen fluoride and the corresponding ammonium, or lithium chloride or sulfate. It has been found that a highly beneficial effect is achieved when the acidic aqueous polymer solution employed in the secondary recovery process of this invention contains, in addition to the mineral acid, hydrofluoric acid, and an oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid polymer, the ammonium or lithium ions derived from the fluorine-containing salt. 
     In order to promote effective acidization of the formation with the hydrofluoric acid at a considerable distance from the bore hole, the introduction of the acidic aqueous polymer solution into the formation can be preceded by the injection into the formation via the injection well of a slug of an aqueous solution containing from about 2.5 to about 10 weight percent of a fluorine-containing salt selected from the group consisting of (A) fluorides such as ammonium and lithium fluoride and (B) the corresponding acid fluorides. Since these fluoride salts are not especially reactive with the sandstone and clay components of the formation, it is possible to pressure-inject solutions of these salts for a considerable distance into the formation. Following the injection of the aqueous fluoride salt solution there is injected into the formation a slug of an acidic aqueous polymer solution of the type previously described comprising from about 2 to about 12 percent by weight of a mineral acid selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric sulfuric acid and mixture thereof, from about 1 to about 7 percent by weight of hydrofluoric acid and which contains dissolved therein between about 0.5 to about 5 percent by weight of the water-soluble oxyalkylated acrylamido alkanesulfonic acid polymer. By using this technique, the hydrofluoric acid content of the acidic aqueous solution is restrengthened by reaction of the initially injected fluoride salts with the excess hydrochloric acid in the second solution. 
    
    
     The following example which illustrates one embodiment of this invention is to be considered not limitative. 
     EXAMPLE 1 
     There is displaced under pressure down the tubing of a water injection well and into a sandstone hydrocarbon-bearing formation at a depth of 8250 feet to 8276 feet at the rate of 50 barrels per day an aqueous solution of 3.5 percent by weight of hydrochloric acid and 4 percent by weight of hydrofluoric acid having dissolved therein 0.3 percent by weight of a polymer having a molecular weight of about 36,000 and having recurring units of the formula: ##STR3## After about 4 days, injectivity increased markedly so that the production of hydrocarbons from an adjacent producing well is substantially increased over that obtained utilizing water as the drive fluid.