Invertible water-in-oil latices and methods of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016333252-A1
Application number	US-201615152833-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 12, 2016
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Invertible latices suitable for use in enhanced oil recovery are formed by adding a first inversion surfactant and a second inversion surfactant to a water-in-oil latex comprising about 15 wt % to 50 wt % of a water soluble polymer having a net ionic charge. The first inversion surfactant has a hydrophilic/lipophilic balance of about 15 to 35 and an ionic charge that is the opposite of the net ionic charge of the polymer. The second inversion surfactant has a hydrophilic/lipophilic balance of between about 8 and 20. The invertible latices are diluted in a single step to provide dilute latices having 10,000 ppm or less polymer solids.

First claim

1 . An invertible latex comprising
a water-in-oil latex comprising about 15 wt % to 50 wt % of a water soluble polymer having at least about 50 mole % acrylamide content, about 0.1 wt % to 2.0 wt % of a first inversion surfactant having a hydrophilic/lipophilic balance of about 15 to 35; and about 0.2 wt % to 4.0 wt % of a second inversion surfactant having a hydrophilic/lipophilic balance of between about 8 and 20.

2 . The invertible latex of claim 1 wherein the first inversion surfactant comprises a quaternary ammonium surfactant.

3 . The invertible latex of claim 2 wherein the quaternary ammonium surfactant comprises N,N-bis [polyoxyethylene]-methyloctadecylammonium chloride with a total of about 15 ethylene oxide units divided between two polyglycol substituents on the nitrogen.

4 . The invertible latex of claim 1 wherein the second inversion surfactant is nonionic.

5 . The invertible latex of claim 4 wherein the second inversion surfactant comprises an alkoxylated alcohol.

6 . The invertible latex of claim 3 wherein the alkoxylated alcohol comprises a linear or branched C 13 chain.

7 . The invertible latex of claim 1 wherein the invertible latex is shelf stable.

8 . The invertible latex of claim 1 wherein the water-in-oil latex further comprises
about 10 wt % to 50 wt % water;
about 15 wt % to 30 wt % of a compound or blend thereof that is less than 0.1 wt % soluble in water at 25° C. and is substantially a liquid over the range of 20° C. to 100° C. and comprising linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon moieties; and
about 5 wt % or less of emulsifying latex emulsifying surfactant characterized as a nonionic surfactant having a combined hydrophilic/lipophilic balance of between about 2 and 10.

9 . A method of forming an invertible latex, the method comprising
a) forming a water-in-oil latex comprising
about 15 wt % to 50 wt % of a water soluble polymer having at least 50 mole % acrylamide content,
about 10 wt % to 50 wt % water,
about 15 wt % to 30 wt % of a compound or blend thereof that is less than 0.1 wt % soluble in water at 25° C. and is substantially a liquid over the range of 20° C. to 100° C. and comprising linear, branched, or cyclic hydrocarbon moieties; and
about 5 wt % or less of latex emulsifying surfactant characterized as having a combined hydrophilic/lipophilic balance of between 2 and 10,
b) adding to the latex about 0.1 wt % to 2.0 wt % based on total latex weight of a first inversion surfactant having an HLB of about 15 to 35 and an ionic charge, to form an intermediate latex; and c) adding to the intermediate latex about 0.2 wt % to 4.0 wt % of a second inversion surfactant having an HLB of between about 8 and 20 to form an invertible latex.

10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the invertible latex is shelf stable.

11 . The method of claim 9 wherein the first inversion surfactant is added as an aqueous solution, the aqueous solution comprising about 10 wt % to 50 wt % of the first inversion surfactant.

12 . A method of recovering hydrocarbon compounds from a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising
a) forming an invertible latex of claim 1 , b) adding a water source to the invertible latex in a single addition to form a dilute latex comprising about 100 ppm to 10,000 ppm of the polymer, c) injecting the dilute latex into the subterranean reservoir, and d) recovering the hydrocarbon compounds.

13 . The method of claim 13 wherein the water source is a high temperature water source.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the water source is a high total dissolved solids water source.

15 . The method of claim 13 wherein the water source is a high temperature, high total dissolved solids water source.

Assignees

• Ecolab Usa Inc

Inventors

• Brinkman Kerry C
• Hart Emily C

Classifications

• C09D133/26

  Homopolymers or copolymers of acrylamide or methacrylamide · CPC title

• C09K8/588 Primary

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

• C09K8/584

  characterised by the use of specific surfactants · CPC title

• C08L33/26

  Homopolymers or copolymers of acrylamide or methacrylamide · CPC title

• E21B43/16

  Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons · CPC title