Methods and apparatus for enhanced oil recovery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12499975-B2
Application number	US-202117527400-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2021
Priority date	Nov 16, 2020
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for enhanced oil recovery. In an embodiment, a method of enhanced oil recovery from a reservoir is provided. The method includes determining a three-dimensional molecular association between simulated oil and a simulated surface using molecular dynamics, and selecting a reservoir additive from a plurality of additives. The method further includes introducing the reservoir additive to the reservoir, and recovering oil from the reservoir using the reservoir additive. Methods of testing a candidate chemical or candidate formulation for use in enhanced oil recovery, and methods of determining an effect of a candidate chemical or formulation of candidate chemicals for use in enhanced oil recovery are also described. Oil extraction apparatus are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of enhanced oil recovery from a reservoir, the method comprising:
determining a three-dimensional molecular association between simulated oil and a simulated surface using molecular dynamics, wherein the simulated surface is modeled with a topmost calcite plane having a net positive charge by a method comprising:
substituting a first carbonate ion (CO 3 2− ) of a plurality of carbonate ions of the topmost calcite plane with a bicarbonate ion (HCO 3 − );
substituting a second carbonate ion (CO 3 2− ) of the plurality of carbonate ions of the topmost calcite plane with a first hydroxyl anion (OH − ) to form an OH filled vacancy site; and
attaching a second hydroxyl anion (OH − ) to the OH − filled vacancy site of the topmost calcite plane;
selecting a reservoir additive from a plurality of additives, wherein the selecting of the reservoir additive from the plurality of additives comprises:
simulating an interaction of the reservoir additive of the plurality of additives with the three-dimensional molecular association between the simulated oil and the simulated surface using molecular dynamics;
introducing the reservoir additive to the reservoir; and recovering oil from the reservoir using the reservoir additive.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting the reservoir additive from the plurality of additives further comprises:
measuring a first simulated wettability alteration characteristic, wherein the first simulated wettability alteration characteristic is associated with a first additive of the plurality of additives; repeating the simulating and measuring operations for each remaining additive of the plurality of additives to produce a simulated wettability alteration characteristic for each remaining additive of the plurality of additives, wherein each simulated wettability alteration characteristic is associated with the respective additive; comparing the simulated wettability alteration characteristics of the plurality of additives to each other; and selecting the reservoir additive from the plurality of additives based on the comparison.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the three-dimensional molecular association further comprises:
modeling oil adsorption on the simulated surface, the oil adsorption comprising an interaction of a negatively charged carboxylate of the simulated oil with a positively charged site of the simulated surface.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the three-dimensional molecular association further comprises modeling polar components of the simulated oil, non-polar components of the oil, or both.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the three-dimensional molecular association further comprises modeling a brine component of the reservoir.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the simulated oil has an aliphatic hydrocarbon, an aromatic hydrocarbon, a sulfur-containing compound, an oxygen-containing compound, and a nitrogen-containing compound.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of additives comprises a surfactant, a foaming chemical, a polymer, an amphiphile, a nanoparticle, or combinations thereof.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of additives comprises a cationic surfactant, an anionic surfactant, a non-ionic surfactant, a zwitterionic surfactant, or combinations thereof.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the simulated surface is configured to model a carbonate surface.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the carbonate surface is calcite.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the three-dimensional molecular association further comprises modeling the simulated surface as a {1,0,−1,4} plane of calcite.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the simulated surface is configured to model a dolomite surface, a silica surface, or a combination thereof.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the simulated surface includes multiple layers.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the simulated surface includes a vacancy.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the simulated surface is a first simulated surface; and the method further comprises selecting a second reservoir additive from the plurality of additives, wherein the selecting the second reservoir additive comprises:
determining a second three-dimensional molecular association between the simulated oil and a second simulated surface using molecular dynamics;
simulating an interaction of a first additive of the plurality of additives with the second three-dimensional molecular association between the simulated oil and the second simulated surface using molecular dynamics;
measuring a first simulated wettability alteration characteristic, wherein the first simulated wettability alteration characteristic is associated with the first additive;
repeating the simulating and measuring operations for each remaining additive of the plurality of additives to produce a simulated wettability alteration characteristic for each remaining additive of the plurality of additives, wherein each simulated wettability alteration characteristic is associated with the respective additive;
comparing the simulated wettability alteration characteristics of the plurality of additives to each other; and
selecting the second reservoir additive from the plurality of additives based on the comparison.

16 . A method of determining an effect of a formulation for use in enhanced oil recovery, the method comprising:
determining a three-dimensional molecular association between simulated oil and a simulated surface using molecular dynamics, wherein the simulated surface is modeled with a topmost calcite plane having a net positive charge by a method comprising:
substituting a first carbonate ion (CO 3 2− ) of a plurality of carbonate ions of the topmost calcite plane with a bicarbonate ion (HCO 3 − );
substituting a second carbonate ion (CO 3 2− ) of the plurality of carbonate ions of the topmost calcite plane with a first hydroxyl anion (OH − ) to form an OH filled vacancy site; and
attaching a second hydroxyl anion (OH − ) to the OH − filled vacancy site of the topmost calcite plane;
simulating an interaction of a first formulation with the simulated oil and the simulated surface using molecular dynamics, the first formulation comprising a surfactant; measuring a first simulated wettability alteration characteristic, wherein the first simulated wettability alteration characteristic is associated with the first formulation; repeating the simulating and measuring operations for a second formulation to produce a second simulated wettability alteration characteristic; comparing the first simulated wettability alteration characteristic and the second simulated wettability alteration characteristic to each other; selecting a preferred formulation based on the comparison; and providing a reservoir additive based on the preferred formulation for use in enhanced oil recovery.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the simulated surface is configured to model a calcite surface, a dolomite surface, a silica surface, or a combination thereof; and the simulated oil includes polar components and non-polar components.

18 . An oil extraction apparatus, comprising:
a processor configured to:
determine a three-dimensional molecular association between simulated oil and a simulated surface using molecular dynamics, wherein the simulated surface is modeled with a topmost calcite plane having a net positive

Assignees

• Univ Wyoming

Inventors

• Bai Shixun
• Kubelka Jan
• Piri Mohammad

Classifications

• G06Q50/02 Primary

  Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining · CPC title

• G16C20/40

  Searching chemical structures or physicochemical data · CPC title

• C09K8/584

  characterised by the use of specific surfactants · CPC title

• G16C20/30

  Prediction of properties of chemical compounds, compositions or mixtures · CPC title

• E21B2200/20

  Computer models or simulations, e.g. for reservoirs under production, drill bits · CPC title