Hydrocarbon based carrier fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11149183-B2
Application number	US-201715400345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2017
Priority date	Apr 8, 2016
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

Y-grade NGL or L-grade is used as a carrier fluid to transport one or more chemical additives into a hydrocarbon bearing reservoir to treat the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir. The Y-grade NGL or L-grade and the chemical additives may be chilled and/or foamed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of injecting a chemical additive into a hydrocarbon bearing reservoir located at a wellsite, comprising:
pumping a chemical additive from a chemical additive unit into a piping, wherein the chemical additive includes a surfactant, a non-ionic surfactant, a polymer, an acid, a nano-surfactant, a nano-polymer, a polymer coated nano-particle, a nano-solvent, and combinations thereof;
pumping an unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture into the piping;
mixing the chemical additive with the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture in the piping to form a treatment fluid, wherein the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture is a by-product of a de-methanized hydrocarbon stream and comprises ethane, propane, butane, isobutane, pentane, and less than one percent methane by liquid volume;
pressurizing the treatment fluid with a pump;
pumping the treatment fluid into a cooler;
pumping a cooling agent into the cooler;
cooling the treatment fluid using the cooling agent; and then
pumping the treatment fluid into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooling agent is liquid nitrogen.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooling agent is carbon dioxide.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooling agent is a non-ionic surfactant.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pressurizing of the treatment fluid with the pump is to a pressure of 250 psig or greater.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooling of the treatment fluid using the cooling agent is to a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, and further comprising freezing connate water located in the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir using the cooled treatment fluid, pumping additional treatment fluid into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir, and diverting the additional treatment fluid using the frozen connate water to a selected location in the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment fluid remediates paraffin located in the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment fluid remediates asphaltene located in the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising injecting the treatment fluid into contact with condensate blockage located in the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment fluid further includes a surfactant.

11. A method of injecting a chemical additive into a hydrocarbon bearing reservoir located at a wellsite, comprising:
pumping a chemical additive into a piping, wherein the chemical additive includes a surfactant, a non-ionic surfactant, a polymer, an acid, a nano-surfactant, a nano-polymer, a polymer coated nano-particle, a nano-solvent, and combinations thereof;
pumping an unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture into the piping;
mixing the chemical additive with the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture in the piping to form a treatment fluid, wherein the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture is a by-product of a de-methanized natural gas stream and comprises ethane, propane, butane, isobutane, pentane, and less than one percent methane by liquid volume;
pressurizing the treatment fluid with a pump;
vaporizing a foaming agent with a vaporizer;
mixing the vaporized foaming agent with the treatment fluid to cool and generate a foamed treatment fluid; and then
pumping the foamed treatment fluid into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the unfractionated hydrocarbon liquid mixture further includes condensate, water, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and hydrogen sulfide.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the foaming agent is liquid nitrogen.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the foaming agent is carbon dioxide.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the foaming agent is a non-ionic surfactant.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the pressurizing of the treatment fluid with the pump is to a pressure of 250 psig or greater.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising freezing connate water located in the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir using the foamed treatment fluid, pumping additional treatment fluid into the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir, and diverting the additional treatment fluid using the frozen connate water to a selected location in the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising injecting the foamed treatment fluid into contact with paraffin, asphaltene, or condensate blockage located in the hydrocarbon bearing reservoir.

Assignees

• Linde Ag
• Babcock John A

Inventors

• Babcock John A
• Siess Iii Charles P
• Watts Kevin G

Classifications

• C09K8/82

  Oil-based compositions (C09K8/64 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C09K8/52

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

• E21B37/06

  using chemical means for preventing or limiting {, e.g. eliminating,} the deposition of paraffins or like substances · CPC title

• C09K2208/10

  Nanoparticle-containing well treatment fluids · CPC title

• C09K8/602

  containing surfactants · CPC title