Method of using multicarboxylate compositions in enhanced oil recovery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017198202-A1
Application number	US-201715471255-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 28, 2017
Priority date	Mar 26, 2014
Publication date	Jul 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the use of a multicarboxylate, such as an alkyl alkoxy dicarboxylate, in enhanced oil recovery processes. A specific embodiment relates to the use of an aqueous stream including a compound having the chemical formula: R 1 —R 2 —R 3 , wherein R 1 comprises a branched or unbranched, saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or non-cyclic, hydrophobic carbon chain having 7-150 carbon atoms; an oxygen atom linking R 1 and R 2 ; R 2 comprises an alkoxylated chain comprising ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, or a combination thereof; and R 3 comprises a branched or unbranched hydrocarbon chain comprising 2-12 carbon atoms and 2-5 —COOH or —COOM groups wherein M is a monovalent, divalent, or trivalent cation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An aqueous stream for injecting into a subterranean reservoir for enhanced oil recovery applications, the aqueous stream having a composition comprising:
a) 0.01-20% by weight of an additive compound comprising the chemical formula: R 1 —R 2 —R 3 , wherein:
R 1 comprises a branched or unbranched, saturated or unsaturated, cyclic or non-cyclic, hydrophobic carbon chain having 7-150 carbon atoms and an oxygen atom linking R 1 and R 2 ;
R 2 comprises an alkoxylated chain comprising at least one oxide group selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, and combinations thereof; and
R 3 consists of a branched or unbranched hydrocarbon chain comprising 2-12 carbon atoms and 2-5 —COOH or —COOM groups wherein M is a monovalent, divalent, or trivalent cation;
b) 250 to 5000 ppm of a polymer selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, scleroglucan, water soluble unhydrolyzed or partially hydrolyzed polyacrylam ides, hydrophobically-modified associative polymers, co-polymers of polyacrylamide, 2-acrylamido 2-methylpropane sulfonic acid and its sodium salt, and N-vinyl pyrrolidone; c) 0.3 to 20 weight percent of a basic salt of a Group IA alkali metal; and d) 0.5 to about 6.0 weight percent of a lower carbon chain alcohol co-solvent.

2 . The aqueous stream of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous stream is located in the subterranean reservoir.

3 . The aqueous stream of claim 1 , wherein:
R 1 comprises 12-36 carbon atoms; R 2 comprises between 0-80 ethylene oxide groups, 0-80 propylene oxide groups, and 0-80 butylene oxide groups; R 3 comprises any of 2, 3, or 4 —COOH or —COOM groups; and M comprises Na, K, NH 4 , Ca, Mg, or Ba.

4 . The aqueous stream of claim 1 , wherein:
R 1 comprises 12-36 carbon atoms; R 2 comprises an aryl group; R 3 comprises any of 2, 3, or 4 —COOH or —COOM groups; and M comprises Na, K, NH 4 , Ca, Mg, or Ba.

5 . The aqueous stream of claim 1 , wherein:
the polymer is selected from the group consisting of associative polymers, water soluble unhydrolyzed polyacrylam ides, and partially hydrolyzed polyacrylam ides; the aqueous stream is injected into the reservoir at a temperature of at least 70° C.; the aqueous stream has a concentration of divalent cations of at least 500 ppm; and the additive compound is present in an amount ranging from 200 ppm (0.02%) to 1500 ppm (0.15%) such that the aqueous stream has a Nepholometric Turbidity Units value of less than 20.

6 . The aqueous stream of claim 3 , wherein the polymer is partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide.

7 . A method of enhancing oil recovery in a subterranean reservoir, comprising:
a) providing at least one injection/production well pair comprising an injection well and a production well in the subterranean reservoir; b) injecting the aqueous stream of claim 1 via the injection well into the subterranean reservoir; and c) recovering oil via the production well from the subterranean reservoir.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the additive compound is present in the aqueous stream in an amount ranging from 200 ppm (0.02%) to 1500 ppm (0.15%).

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:
R 1 comprises 12-36 carbon atoms; R 2 comprises between 0-80 ethylene oxide groups, 0-80 propylene oxide groups, and 0-80 butylene oxide groups; R 3 comprises any of 2, 3, or 4 —COOH or —COOM groups; and M comprises Na, K, NH 4 , Ca, Mg, or Ba.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein:
R 1 comprises 12-36 carbon atoms; R 2 comprises an aryl group; R 3 comprises any of 2, 3, or 4 —COOH or —COOM groups; and M comprises Na, K, NH 4 , Ca, Mg, or Ba.

Assignees

• Chevron Usa Inc

Inventors

• Shong Robert George
• Dwarakanath Varadarajan
• Winslow Gregory A
• Thach Sophany

Classifications

• C09K8/584 Primary

  characterised by the use of specific surfactants · CPC title

• 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

• C07C59/305

  containing ether groups, [IMAGE cpc-sch-C07C-0958.gif] groups,[IMAGE cpc-sch-C07C-0959.gif] groups, or[IMAGE cpc-sch-C07C-0960.gif] groups · CPC title