polymers usable in the recovery and processing of mineral resources.

摘要

Water-soluble polymers comprising an N-vinyl lactam are found to be useful in processes wherein the polymer is introduced into a subterranean wellbore. Polymers useful in the recovery of natural resources are prepared by polymerizing an N-vinyl lactam by free radical initiation with polymerization conducted in an aqueous solution polymerization medium preferably containing a mixture of dissolved electrolytes, or in a polymerization medium consisting essentially of a tertiary alkanol. Copolymers of such N-Vinyl lactams with unsaturated amides, and terpolymers prepared by polymerizing an N-vinyl lactam and an unsaturated amide with a selected termonomer compound are also useful when prepared by these methods. The invention also broadly encompasses utilizing a water soluble polymer comprising at least one of a hydrophilic vinyl-containing sulfonate and a hydrophilic N-vinyl lactam under hostile conditions.