Phenol-alkoxylate co-solvent surfactant composition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017166802-A1
Application number	US-201715444754-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 28, 2017
Priority date	Feb 28, 2013
Publication date	Jun 15, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided herein are, inter alia, compositions including a surfactant and a phenol-alkoxylate co-solvent useful in enhanced oil recovery. The compositions and methods provided herein are particularly useful for oil recovery under a broad range of reservoir conditions (e.g. high to low temperatures, high to low salinity, highly viscous oils).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aqueous composition comprising water, a surfactant and a co-solvent having the formula:

wherein
R 1 is independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl;
R 2 is independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 2 alkyl; and
n is an integer from 1 to 30.

2 . The aqueous composition of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is unsubstituted C 2 -C 6 alkyl.

3 . The aqueous composition of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is hydrogen.

4 . The aqueous composition of claim 1 , wherein R 2 is hydrogen.

5 . The aqueous composition of claim 1 , wherein n is an integer from 1 to 10.

6 . The aqueous composition of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is hydrogen and n is 6.

7 . The aqueous composition of claim 1 , wherein said co-solvent has the formula:

wherein
R 2 is methyl or ethyl;
o is an integer from 0 to 15; and
p is an integer from 1 to 10.

8 . The aqueous composition of claim 7 , wherein R 1 is hydrogen, o is O and p is 6.

9 . The aqueous composition of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of different surfactants.

10 . The aqueous composition of claim 9 , wherein said plurality of different surfactants comprises an anionic surfactant, a non-ionic surfactant, a zwitterionic surfactant or a cationic surfactant.

11 . The aqueous composition of claim 1 , further comprising a viscosity enhancing water soluble polymer.

12 . The aqueous composition of claim 1 , further comprising an alkali agent.

13 . The aqueous composition of claim 12 , wherein said alkali agent is NaOH, KOH, LiOH, Na 2 CO 3 , NaHCO 3 , Na-metaborate, Na silicate, Na orthosilicate or NH 4 OH.

14 . The aqueous composition of claim 1 , having a pH of less than 9.5.

15 . An emulsion composition comprising an unrefined petroleum phase and an aqueous phase, wherein said aqueous phase comprises water, a surfactant and a co-solvent having the formula:

wherein
R 1 is independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl;
R 2 is independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 2 alkyl; and
n is an integer from 1 to 30.

16 . The emulsion composition of claim 15 , wherein said co-solvent has the formula:

wherein
R 2 is methyl or ethyl;
o is an integer from 0 to 15; and
p is an integer from 1 to 10.

17 . The emulsion composition of claim 15 , comprising a plurality of different surfactants.

18 . The emulsion composition of claim 17 , wherein said plurality of different surfactants comprises an anionic surfactant, a non-ionic surfactant, a zwitterionic surfactant or a cationic surfactant.

19 . The emulsion composition of claim 15 , further comprising an alkali agent.

20 . The emulsion composition of claim 15 , having a pH of less than 9.5.

21 . The emulsion composition of claim 15 , wherein said unrefined petroleum phase comprises a nonactive oil.

22 . A method of displacing an unrefined petroleum material in contact with a solid material, said method comprising:
(i) contacting an unrefined petroleum material with the aqueous composition of claim 1 , wherein said unrefined petroleum material is in contact with a solid material; (ii) allowing said unrefined petroleum material to separate from said solid material thereby displacing said unrefined petroleum material in contact with said solid material.

23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising contacting said solid material with said aqueous composition.

24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein said method is an enhanced oil recovery method.

25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein an emulsion forms after said contacting.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein said unrefined petroleum material is a nonactive oil.

27 . A method of converting an unrefined petroleum acid into a surfactant, said method comprising:
(i) contacting a petroleum material with the aqueous composition of one of claim 1 , thereby forming an emulsion in contact with said petroleum material; (ii) allowing an unrefined petroleum acid within said unrefined petroleum material to enter into said emulsion, thereby converting said unrefined petroleum acid into a surfactant.

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said unrefined petroleum material is in a petroleum reservoir.

29 . The method of claim 27 , wherein said unrefined petroleum material comprises a nonactive oil.

Assignees

• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Weerasooriya Upali P
• Pope Gary A

Classifications

• E21B43/16

  Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons · CPC title

• C09K8/588

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

• C09K8/584 Primary

  characterised by the use of specific surfactants · CPC title