Surfactant composition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10174596-B2
Application number	US-201314402488-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2013
Priority date	May 25, 2012
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

The invention provides a synergistic surfactant composition comprising: (a) a first amphoteric surfactant, which is selected from C8-C22 sultaines, salts thereof, and mixtures thereof; and (b) a second amphoteric surfactant, which is selected from C8-C22 betaines and salts thereof, C8-C22 propionates and salts thereof, and mixtures thereof. This surfactant composition may be used to generate foam that is used for unloading a liquid from a hydrocarbon reservoir. It may be that the liquid unloading of foam generated using the surfactant composition is greater than that of foam generated from the first and second surfactants when they are foamed individually.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of unloading liquid from a reservoir, the method comprising: introducing a first and a second amphoteric surfactant into a liquid in the reservoir, in order to foam the liquid; and then removing foamed liquid from the reservoir;
wherein the first amphoteric surfactant is a C8-C22 sultaine selected from the group consisting of alkyl hydroxysultaines, alkylamidopropyl hydroxysultaines, alkyl amphohydroxypropylsulfonates, salts thereof, and combinations thereof; and the second amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of C8-C22 betaines and salts thereof, C8-C22 propionates and salts thereof, and mixtures thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is a hydrocarbon reservoir.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the hydrocarbon reservoir is an oil or gas reservoir.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amphoteric surfactants are used in the reservoir at a total active surfactant concentration of:
(a) 100 ppm or more; or
(b) 150 ppm or more; or
(c) 250 ppm or more; or
(d) 500 ppm or more; or
(e) from 150 ppm to 10,000 ppm; or
(f) from 200 ppm to 5,000 ppm.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first surfactant is selected from the group consisting of:
Lauramidopropyl hydroxysultaine,
Cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine,
Caprylamphohydroxypropyl sulfonate,
Sodium lauroamphohydroxylpropyl sulfonate,
salts thereof, and mixtures thereof.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the first surfactant is selected from the group consisting of:
Lauramidopropyl hydroxysultaine,
Cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine,
salts thereof, and mixtures thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of C8-C22 betaines and salts thereof.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the second amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkyl dimethylbetaines, alkylamidopropyl betaines, alkylampho(di)acetates, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the second amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of:
Lauramidopropyl betaine,
Cocoamidopropyl betaine,
Disodium lauramphodiacetate,
Blends of caprylamidopropyl betaine and capramidopropyl betaine,
C12/C14 alkyl dimethyl betaine,
salts thereof, and mixtures thereof.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the second amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of:
Lauramidopropyl betaine,
Cocoamidopropyl betaine,
Blends of caprylamidopropyl betaine and capramidopropyl betaine,
C12/C14 alkyl dimethyl betaine,
salts thereof, and mixtures thereof.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sultaine:betaine ratio is from 10:90 to 90:10.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sultaine:betaine ratio is from 20:80 to 80:20.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sultaine:betaine ratio is from 25:75 to 75:25.

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sultaine and the betaine have the same carbon chain length.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sultaine is a C10 sultaine and the betaine is a C10 betaine.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sultaine is a C12 sultaine and the betaine is a C12 betaine.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the sultaine is a C14 sultaine and the betaine is a C14 betaine.

18. A method of unloading liquid from a reservoir, the method comprising: introducing a first and a second amphoteric surfactant into a liquid in the reservoir, in order to foam the liquid; and then removing foamed liquid from the reservoir;
wherein the first amphoteric surfactant is a C8-C22 sultaine selected from the group consisting of alkyl hydroxysultaines, alkylamidopropyl hydroxysultaines, alkyl amphohydroxypropylsulfonates, salts thereof, and combinations thereof; and the second amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of C8-C22 betaines and salts thereof.

Assignees

• Rhodia Operations

Inventors

• Hatchman Kevan
• Collins Gareth
• Jones Chris

Classifications

• C09K8/52

  Compositions for preventing, limiting or eliminating depositions, e.g. for cleaning · CPC title

• E21B43/121

  Lifting well fluids (monitoring of down-hole pump systems E21B47/008) · CPC title

• C11D1/90

  Betaines · CPC title

• E21B43/16 Primary

  Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons · CPC title

• C11D3/0094

  High foaming compositions · CPC title