Modified nonionic surfactant formulations for enhanced oil recovery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10077394-B2
Application number	US-201214124875-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2012
Priority date	Jun 10, 2011
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure include modified nonionic surfactant formulations having a nonionic surfactant and a pour point depressant, where the modified nonionic surfactant formulations have a pour point of −3° C. to −54° C. In one or more embodiments, the modified nonionic surfactant formulations can be introduced into a flow of carbon dioxide, where the flow of carbon dioxide and the modified nonionic surfactant formulation are injected into an oil containing reservoir. In one or more embodiments, an emulsion of the carbon dioxide and the nonionic surfactant form in the oil containing reservoir, where the use of the pour point depressant provides minimal interference in forming the emulsion.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method, comprising:
introducing a modified nonionic surfactant formulation into a flow of carbon dioxide, where a portion of the carbon dioxide is in a supercritical phase, the modified nonionic surfactant formulation comprises 10 to 20 a weight percent of water, 10 to 30 weight percent of a pour point depressant and 50 to 80 weight percent of a nonionic surfactant, and where the modified nonionic surfactant formulation has a pour point of 0° C. to −51° C., wherein the pour point depressant is selected from isopropanol, diethyleneglycol monobutyl ether, ethyleneglycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethyleneglycol monobutylether, ethyleneglycol monopropylether, dipropyleneglycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propyleneglycol monopropyl ether, propyleneglycol monobutyl ether, butyl acetate, propyleneglycol, ethyleneglycol, ethyleneglycol monobutyl ether acetate, propyleneglycol diacetate, dipropyleneglycol dimethyl ether, and combinations thereof;
injecting the flow of carbon dioxide and the modified nonionic surfactant formulation into an oil containing reservoir; and
forming an emulsion of the carbon dioxide and the nonionic surfactant in an aqueous solution in the oil containing reservoir.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the use of the pour point depressant provides no interference in forming the emulsion.

3. The method of claim 1 , where the modified nonionic surfactant formulation includes 20 weight percent water.

4. The method of claim 1 , where the modified nonionic surfactant formulation includes 30 weight percent of the pour point depressant and 70 weight percent of the nonionic surfactant.

5. The method of claim 1 , where the modified nonionic surfactant includes 10 weight percent of alcohol and 20 weight percent water.

6. The method of claim 1 , where introducing the modified nonionic surfactant formulation includes introducing the modified nonionic surfactant formulation at an ambient temperature of 0° C. to −54° C. into the flow of carbon dioxide.

7. A method, comprising:
introducing a modified nonionic surfactant formulation into a flow of carbon dioxide, where a portion of the carbon dioxide is in a supercritical phase, the modified nonionic surfactant formulation comprises 10.5 to 20 weight percent of water, 10 to 30 weight percent of a pour point depressant and a remaining weight percent of a nonionic surfactant, and where the modified nonionic surfactant formulation has a pour point of 0° C. to −51° C., wherein the pour point depressant is selected from isopropanol, diethyleneglycol monobutyl ether, ethyleneglycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethyleneglycol monobutylether, ethyleneglycol monopropylether, dipropyleneglycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propyleneglycol monopropyl ether, propyleneglycol monobutyl ether, butyl acetate, propyleneglycol, ethyleneglycol, ethyleneglycol monobutyl ether acetate, propyleneglycol diacetate, dipropyleneglycol dimethyl ether, and combinations thereof;
injecting the flow of carbon dioxide and the modified nonionic surfactant formulation into an oil containing reservoir; and
forming an emulsion of the carbon dioxide and the nonionic surfactant in an aqueous solution in the oil containing reservoir.

8. A method, comprising:
introducing a modified nonionic surfactant formulation into a flow of carbon dioxide, where a portion of the carbon dioxide is in a supercritical phase, the modified nonionic surfactant formulation includes 20 weight percent of water, 10 to 30 weight percent of a pour point depressant and a remaining weight percent of a nonionic surfactant, and where the modified nonionic surfactant formulation has a pour point of 0° C. to −51° C., wherein the pour point depressant is selected from isopropanol, diethyleneglycol monobutyl ether, ethyleneglycol monobutyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethyleneglycol monobutylether, ethyleneglycol monopropylether, dipropyleneglycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propyleneglycol monopropyl ether, propyleneglycol monobutyl ether, butyl acetate, propyleneglycol, ethyleneglycol, ethyleneglycol monobutyl ether acetate, propyleneglycol diacetate, dipropyleneglycol dimethyl ether, and combinations thereof;
injecting the flow of carbon dioxide and the modified nonionic surfactant formulation into an oil containing reservoir; and
forming an emulsion of the carbon dioxide and the nonionic surfactant in an aqueous solution in the oil containing reservoir.

Assignees

• Abbas Sayeed
• Sanders Aaron
• Dow Global Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Abbas Sayeed
• Sanders Aaron

Classifications

• C09K8/703

  Foams · CPC title

• E21B43/166

  Injecting a gaseous medium; Injecting a gaseous medium and a liquid medium (CO2 injection E21B43/164; steam injection E21B43/24) · CPC title

• C09K8/584 Primary

  characterised by the use of specific surfactants · CPC title

• C09K8/594

  Compositions used in combination with injected gas {, e.g. CO2 orcarbonated gas}(C09K8/592 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21B43/164

  Injecting CO2 or carbonated water (in combination with organic material C09K8/594) · CPC title