Microemulsions and uses thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12466989-B2
Application number	US-201917275797-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2019
Priority date	Sep 14, 2018
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to microemulsions comprising a compound of Formula (I), a solvent, a surfactant and optionally a co-surfactant disclosed herein, wherein the ratio of the surfactant to the co-surfactant is about 100:0 to about 20:90. The disclosed microemulsions may be useful in preventing or removing organic deposits, inorganic deposits, metal naphthenates, napthenic acids, and/or mixtures thereof from subterranean formations. The disclosed microemulsions may also be useful in stimulating tight carbonate reservoirs.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A microemulsion comprising:
a solution comprising glutamic acid N,N-di acetic acid (GLDA) or salts thereof, kerosene, linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid (LABSA), and n-butanol, wherein the ratio of LABSA to n-butanol is 50:50; and wherein the ratio of the solution comprising GLDA, or salts thereof, to kerosene is 60:40.

2 . The microemulsion of claim 1 , wherein the solution has a pH value of about 1.7 to about 4.

3 . The microemulsion of claim 1 , wherein glutamic acid N,N-di acetic acid (GLDA) or salts thereof and kerosene are present in an amount in which the solubilization point of the microemulsion is achieved.

4 . The microemulsion of claim 1 , wherein the microemulsion has a droplet size of less than 140 nm.

5 . A method for preventing or removing formation of organic deposits, inorganic deposits, metal naphthenates, naphthenic acids and/or mixtures thereof from subterranean formations comprising the steps of:
(i) providing the microemulsion of claim 1 , and (ii) introducing the microemulsion into a subterranean formation.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of contacting the microemulsion with the organic deposits, inorganic deposits, metal naphthenates, naphthenic acids, and/or mixtures formed on a surface of a downhole pipeline.

7 . A method for stimulating a carbonate reservoir in a subterranean formation, comprising injecting the microemulsion of claim 1 into the subterranean formation.

Assignees

• Petroliam Nasional Berhad Petronas

Inventors

• Misra Sanjay
• Mohamed Ibrahim Jamal
• Saleh Intan Khalida

Classifications

• C11D3/33

  Amino carboxylic acids · CPC title

• E21B37/06

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

• C09K8/92

  characterised by their form or by the form of their components, e.g. encapsulated material (C09K8/70 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C09K8/602 Primary

  containing surfactants · CPC title

• C09K8/528

  inorganic depositions, e.g. sulfates or carbonates · CPC title