Process for preventing or mitigating biofouling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10174239-B2
Application number	US-201414520830-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2014
Priority date	Feb 9, 2010
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

Biofouling may be prevented or at least mitigated by employing a cinnamaldehyde additive to augment the affect of the conventional biocide. Exemplary cinnamaldehyde additives include, but are not limited to, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid and cinnamyl alcohol. A cinnamaldehyde additive by itself, in some embodiments, may also inhibit biofouling.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process for mitigating the occurrence of biofouling comprising introducing from about 50 ppm to about 1000 ppm of a biocidal blend comprising cinnamaldehyde and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulfate (THPS) into an industrial water system, where the biocidal blend decreases the growth of a bacteria selected from the group consisting of acid-producing bacteria, sulfate-reducing bacteria and combinations thereof, where the growth of bacteria is equal to or less than expected compared to the use of the cinnamaldehyde used alone or THPS used alone in the same amount and the expected activity curve between the two, where
the industrial water system is selected from water systems used in the field of exploration for and production of oil and gas selected from the group consisting of:
aqueous drilling fluids,
fluids used for secondary and tertiary recovery, and
fracture fluids;

where the volume ratio of cinnamaldehyde to THPS at 50 wt % dilution in the biocidal blend ranges from 1:5 to about 5:1.

2. The process of claim 1 where:
when the bacteria are acid-producing bacteria (APB), the weight ratio of THPS:cinnamaldehyde ranges from 50:50 to 10:50; and
when the bacteria are sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), the weight ratio of THPS:cinnamaldehyde ranges from 50:10 to 10:50.

3. The process of claim 1 where the cinnamaldehyde additionally disperses expired biofilms.

4. A process for mitigating the occurrence of biofouling comprising introducing from about 50 ppm to about 1000 ppm of a biocidal blend comprising cinnamaldehyde and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulfate (THPS) into an industrial water system, where the biocidal blend decreases the growth of a bacteria selected from the group consisting of acid-producing bacteria (APB), sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and combinations thereof, where the growth of bacteria is equal to or less than expected compared to the use of the cinnamaldehyde used alone or THPS used alone in the same amount and the expected activity curve between the two, where
the industrial water system is selected from water systems used in the field of exploration for and production of oil and gas selected from the group consisting of:
aqueous drilling fluids,
fluids used for secondary and tertiary recovery, and fracture fluids; and

when the bacteria are acid-producing bacteria (APB), the weight ratio of THPS at 50 wt % dilution:cinnamaldehyde ranges from 4:1 to 1:5; and
when the bacteria are sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), the weight ratio of THPS at 50 wt % dilution:cinnamaldehyde ranges from 5:1 to 1:5.

5. The process of claim 4 where the cinnamaldehyde additionally disperses expired biofilms.

6. A process for mitigating the occurrence of biofouling consisting of introducing from about 50 ppm to about 1000 ppm of a biocidal blend consisting of cinnamaldehyde and tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium sulfate (THPS) into an industrial water system, where the biocidal blend decreases the growth of a bacteria selected from the group consisting of acid-producing bacteria (APB), sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and combinations thereof, where the growth of bacteria is less than expected compared to the use of the cinnamaldehyde used alone or THPS used alone in the same amount and the expected activity curve between the two, where
the industrial water system is selected from water systems used in the field of exploration for and production of oil and gas selected from the group consisting of:
aqueous drilling fluids,
fluids used for secondary and tertiary recovery, and
fracture fluids; and

when the bacteria are acid-producing bacteria (APB), the weight ratio of THPS at 50 wt % dilution:cinnamaldehyde ranges from 4:1 to 1:5; and
when the bacteria are sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), the weight ratio of THPS at 50 wt % dilution:cinnamaldehyde ranges from 5:1 to 1:5.

7. The process of claim 6 where the cinnamaldehyde additive additionally disperses expired biofilms.

8. The process of claim 4 where the amount of cinnamaldehyde ranges from 25 to 500 ppm.

9. The process of claim 4 where:
when the bacteria are APB, the amount of cinnamaldehyde ranges from 100 to 400 ppm; and
when the bacteria are SRB, the amount of cinnamaldehyde ranges from 25 to 500 ppm.

10. The process of claim 9 where the bacteria are SRB and the amount of cinnamaldehyde ranges from 25 to 50 ppm.

11. The process of claim 6 where the amount of cinnamaldehyde ranges from 25 to 500 ppm.

12. The process of claim 6 where:
when the bacteria are APB, the amount of cinnamaldehyde ranges from 100 to 400 ppm; and
when the bacteria are SRB, the amount of cinnamaldehyde ranges from 25 to 500 ppm.

13. The process of claim 12 where the bacteria are SRB and the amount of cinnamaldehyde ranges from 25 to 50 ppm.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Inc
• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Lee Crystal
• Penkala Joseph E
• Wunch Kenneth G

Classifications

• A01N35/04

  containing aldehyde or keto groups, or thio analogues thereof, directly attached to an aromatic ring system, e.g. acetophenone; Derivatives thereof, e.g. acetals · CPC title

• C09K8/04

  Aqueous well-drilling compositions · CPC title

• C09K8/524

  organic depositions, e.g. paraffins or asphaltenes · CPC title

• C09K8/605 Primary

  containing biocides · CPC title

• C02F1/50

  by addition or application of a germicide or by oligodynamic treatment {(C02F1/4606, C02F1/467, C02F1/76 take precedence)} · CPC title