Surfactants having non-conventional hydrophobes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338382-B2
Application number	US-201816500250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2018
Priority date	Apr 4, 2017
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

The present invention is directed to surfactants with small hydrophobes, which are of non-conventional hydrophobe size. The surfactants of the present invention utilize a small hydrophobic moiety with a polyalkoxylate chain comprising PO, BO and/or EO groups, with optional ionic groups, such as anionic, cationic and zwitterionic, to achieve the desired hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB). The present invention is further directed to formulations comprising the surfactants of the invention, and methods of using the surfactants of the invention, including in enhanced oil recovery applications.

First claim

We claim:

1. A compound having the formula:
R 1 —O—(PO x -EO y ) —Z

wherein R 1 is a branched C 3 to C 7 alkyl;
wherein x is 15-100;
wherein y is 10-250;
wherein (x+y)≥25; and
wherein Z is carboxylate.

2. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of isopropyl, isobutyl, t-butyl, sec-butyl, and their isomers.

3. The compound of claim 2 , wherein R 1 is isobutyl, t-butyl, or sec-butyl.

4. The compound of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is methylpentyl.

5. The compound of claim 1 , wherein y is an integer from 65 to 105.

6. The compound of claim 5 , wherein x is greater than or equal to y.

7. An aqueous composition comprising the compound of claim 1 and a co-surfactant.

8. An emulsion comprising the aqueous composition of claim 7 and a hydrocarbon material.

9. A method of using the compound of claim 1 in an enhanced oil recovery method comprising:
contacting a hydrocarbon with the compound of claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon is in contact with a solid material in a petroleum reservoir; and
allowing said hydrocarbon material to separate from the solid material.

10. A method of using the compound of claim 1 in household, institutional or industrial cleaning comprising:
contacting a household, institutional or industrial surface with the compound of claim 1 .

11. A compound having the formula:
R 1 —O—(PO x -EO y ) —Z

wherein R 1 is C 1 , C 2 , or a branched C 3 or C 4 alkyl;
wherein x is 15-100;
wherein y is 10-250;
wherein (x+y)≥25; and
wherein Z is carboxylate.

12. A compound having the formula:
R 1 —O—(PO x -EO y ) —Z

wherein R 1 is a branched C 5 to C 8 ;
wherein x is 15-100;
wherein y is 10-250;
wherein (x+y)≥25; and
wherein Z is carboxylate.

13. An aqueous composition comprising the compound of claim 11 and a co-surfactant.

14. A method of using the compound of claim 11 in an enhanced oil recovery method comprising:
contacting a hydrocarbon with the compound of claim 11 , wherein said hydrocarbon is in contact with a solid material in a petroleum reservoir; and
allowing said hydrocarbon material to separate from the solid material.

15. An aqueous composition comprising the compound of claim 12 and a co-surfactant.

16. A method of using the compound of claim 12 in an enhanced oil recovery method comprising:
contacting a hydrocarbon with the compound of claim 12 , wherein said hydrocarbon is in contact with a solid material in a petroleum reservoir; and
allowing said hydrocarbon material to separate from the solid material.

17. An emulsion comprising the aqueous composition of claim 13 and a hydrocarbon material.

18. An emulsion comprising the aqueous composition of claim 15 and a hydrocarbon material.

Assignees

• Harcros Chemicals Inc
• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Weerasooriya Upali
• Radford Peter
• Sikkema Kevin
• Boorem John
• Boorem Aaron
• Cheshire Kurt
• Mohanty Kishore K
• Panthi Krishna
• Sharma Himanshu
• Ghosh Pinaki

Classifications

• C09K23/16

  Amines or polyamines · CPC title

• C11D2111/20

  Industrial or commercial equipment, e.g. reactors, tubes or engines · CPC title

• C09K23/00 Primary

  Use of substances as emulsifying, wetting, dispersing, or foam-producing agents · CPC title

• E21B43/16

  Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons · CPC title

• C11D1/722

  Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols having mixed oxyalkylene groups; {Polyalkoxylated fatty alcohols or polyalkoxylated alkylaryl alcohols with mixed oxyalkylele groups (C11D1/721 takes precedence)} · CPC title