Thickening compositions, and related materials and processes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016297934-A1
Application number	US-201514683599-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 10, 2015
Priority date	Apr 10, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A silicone polymer is provided, modified with at least one functional group from the class of anthraquinone amide groups; anthraquinone sulfonamide groups; thioxanthone amide groups; or thioxanthone sulfone amide groups. The polymer can be combined with a hydrocarbon solvent or with supercritical carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and is very effective for increasing the viscosity of either medium. A process for the recovery of oil from a subterranean, oil-bearing formation is also described, using supercritical carbon dioxide modified with the functionalized silicone polymer. A process for extracting natural gas or oil from a bedrock-shale formation is also described, again using the modified silicone polymer.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 ) A silicone polymer that comprises at least one functional group selected from anthraquinone amide groups; anthraquinone sulfonamide groups; thioxanthone amide groups; or thioxanthone sulfone amide groups.

2 ) The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the silicone is a siloxane that comprises repeating units of structure I
M a D b T c Q d ,  (I),
wherein M has the formula R 1 3 SiO 1/2 ; D has the formula R 2 R 3 SiO 2/2 ; T has the formula R 4 SiO 3/2 ; Q has the formula SiO 4/2 ; and wherein each of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 is independently C 1 -C 5 alkyl;
and a=2-10, b=15-500, c=0-10; and d=0-10.

3 ) The polymer of claim 2 , wherein the siloxane comprises a linear structure or a branched structure.

4 ) The polymer of claim 2 , comprising at least one siloxane copolymer.

5 ) The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the anthraquinone amide functional groups comprise structure II

wherein R 5 is C 1 -C 5 alkyl, or hydrogen.

6 ) The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the thioxanthone amide end groups comprise structure III

wherein R 6 is C 1 -C 5 alkyl, or hydrogen.

7 ) The polymer of claim 2 , wherein the ratio of siloxane groups to functional groups (total) is sufficient to solubilize the polymer in supercritical carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), at a temperature within the range of about 30° C. to about 200° C.; under a pressure within the range of about 1100 psi to about 10,000 psi.

8 ) The polymer of claim 1 , comprising a siloxane structure IV

containing at least one of the functional groups; and where “Me” is methyl.

9 ) A combination of the functionalized silicone polymer of claim 1 with a hydrocarbon solvent containing about 2 to 20 carbon atoms.

10 ) The combination of claim 9 , wherein the amount of the functionalized silicone polymer is sufficient to raise the viscosity of the hydrocarbon solvent by at least about two times (2×) its viscosity at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.

11 ) The combination of claim 9 , wherein the hydrocarbon solvent is selected from the group consisting of pentane, hexane, heptane, toluene, xylene, and mesitylene.

12 ) A mixture of hexane and the functionalized silicone polymer of claim 1 .

13 ) A composition comprising the combination of claim 9 with supercritical carbon dioxide (CO 2 ).

14 ) A thickening agent for organic liquid compositions or supercritical fluids, or mixtures thereof, comprising a silicone polymer that contains at least one functional group selected from anthraquinone amide groups; anthraquinone sulfonamide groups; thioxanthone amide groups; or thioxanthone sulfone amide groups.

15 ) A process for increasing the viscosity of supercritical CO 2 , comprising the step of combining a starting volume of supercritical CO 2 with a silicone polymer that contains at least one functional group selected from anthraquinone amide groups; anthraquinone sulfonamide groups; thioxanthone amide groups; or thioxanthone sulfone amide groups, so that the viscosity of the supercritical CO 2 with the silicone polymer is greater than that of the starting volume of supercritical CO 2 .

16 ) The process of claim 15 , wherein at least one hydrocarbon solvent is combined with the silicone polymer, prior to combination of the polymer with the supercritical CO 2 .

17 ) A process for the recovery of oil from a subterranean, oil-bearing formation, comprising the steps of
a) injecting carbon dioxide into the formation through at least one injection well, under supercritical conditions; and b) recovering oil and injected carbon dioxide from a production well at a distance from the injection well;
wherein the viscosity of the carbon dioxide within the formation is controlled by dissolving a silicone polymer into the carbon dioxide under supercritical conditions, in an amount sufficient to modify the viscosity of the supercritical CO 2 to a desired level; and
wherein the silicone polymer contains least one functional group selected from anthraquinone amide groups; anthraquinone sulfonamide groups; thioxanthone amide groups; or thioxanthone sulfone amide groups.

18 ) The process of claim 17 , wherein at least one hydrocarbon solvent is pre-mixed with the silicone polymer, prior to dissolving the silicone polymer into the carbon dioxide.

19 ) A process for extracting natural gas or oil, or a combination of natural gas and oil, from a bedrock-shale formation, comprising the following steps:
(i) drilling a well into the bedrock-shale formation; and (ii) injecting a fracking fluid under high pressure into the formation via the well;
wherein the fracking fluid comprises water, proppant, supercritical CO 2 ; and a silicone polymer that comprises at least one functional group selected from anthraquinone amide groups; anthraquinone sulfonamide groups; thioxanthone amide groups; or thioxanthone sulfone amide groups; said silicone polymer being present in an amount sufficient to modify the viscosity of the fracking fluid.

20 ) The process of claim 19 , wherein the fracking fluid further comprises at least one hydrocarbon solvent.

Assignees

• Gen Electric
• Univ Of Pittsburgh-Of The Commonwealth System Of Higher Education

Inventors

• O'Brien Michael Joseph
• Perry Robert James
• Enick Robert Michael
• Lee Jason Jiwoo

Classifications

• C09K8/588 Primary

  characterised by the use of specific polymers {(polymeric surfactants C09K8/584)} · CPC title

• E21B43/24

  using heat, e.g. steam injection · CPC title

• E21B43/164

  Injecting CO2 or carbonated water (in combination with organic material C09K8/594) · CPC title

• C08L83/06

  containing silicon bound to oxygen-containing groups (C08L83/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C09K8/68

  containing organic compounds · CPC title