Alkoxylate emulsions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021238470-A1
Application number	US-201917045031-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 4, 2019
Priority date	Apr 4, 2018
Publication date	Aug 5, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided herein are compounds, compositions, and methods having application in the field of enhanced oil recovery (EOR). In particular, the compounds, compositions, and methods provided can be used for the recovery of a large range of crude oil compositions from challenging reservoirs.

First claim

1 . An aqueous composition comprising a compound having a structure of Formula I,

wherein
R 1 is unsubstituted C 6 -C 10 alkyl or unsubstituted phenyl;
x is an integer from 2 to 10;
y is an integer from 3 to 60.

2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is branched or linear unsubstituted C 6 -C 10 alkyl.

3 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is branched unsubstituted C 8 alkyl.

4 . The composition of claim 2 , wherein x is from 2 to 7.

5 . The composition of claim 2 , wherein y is from 3 to 30.

6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is unsubstituted phenyl.

7 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein x is from 2 to 8.

8 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein y is from 5 to 20.

9 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein y is greater than x.

10 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the sum of x and y (x+y) is from 5 to 30.

11 . An aqueous composition comprising a compound having a structure of Formula II,

wherein
R 2 is a substituted or unsubstituted C 4 -C 20 polyalkylamine,
R 3 , for each occurrence, is independently hydrogen or methyl; and
n is an integer from 2 to 60.

12 . The composition of claim 11 , wherein the compound of Formula II has a structure of Formula IIa,

wherein
R 2 is a substituted or unsubstituted C 4 -C 20 polyalkylamine;
x is an integer from 2 to 20;
y is an integer from 0 to 15; and
wherein x is greater than y.

13 . The composition of claim 11 , wherein R 2 is unsubstituted C 4 -C 16 polyalkylamine selected from a C 4 -C 16 polyalkylenediamine, a C 4 -C 16 polyalkylenetriamine, a C 4 -C 16 polyalkylenetetramine, or a C 4 -C 16 polyalkylenepentamine, preferably a diisopropylamine, di-ethylenetriamine, tri-ethylenetetramine, tetra-ethylenepentamine, di-propylenetriamine, tri-propylenetetramine, or tetra-propylenepentamine.

14 . (canceled)

15 . (canceled)

16 . (canceled)

17 . (canceled)

18 . The composition of claim 11 , x and y are in a ratio of from 1.5:1 to 5:1.

19 . The composition of claim 11 , wherein the sum of x and y (x+y) is from 2 to 35.

20 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the compound is present in the composition in an amount of from 0.05% to 6% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.

21 . (canceled)

22 . (canceled)

23 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises an anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of branched alcohol ethoxylates and/or propoxylates, capped alcohol ethoxylates and/or propoxylates, branched Guerbet alcohol comprising ethoxylate and/or propoxylate groups, alkoxy carboxylate surfactants, alkoxy sulfate surfactants, alkoxy sulfonate surfactants, alkyl sulfonate surfactants, aryl sulfonate surfactants, olefin sulfonate surfactants, and combinations thereof.

24 . The composition of claim 23 , wherein the surfactant is present in the composition in an amount of from 0.05% to 2% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition.

25 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a surfactant selected from a C 10 -C 30 internal olefin sulfonate (IOS), a C 10 -C 30 alpha olefin sulfonate (AOS), or a C 8 -C 30 alkyl benzene sulfonate (ABS),
an alkoxy carboxylate surfactant defined by Formula II or Formula III

wherein
R 1 substituted or unsubstituted C 8 -C 150 alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl;
R 2 is independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl;
R 3 is independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 6 alkyl;
n is an integer from 2 to 210;
z is an integer from 1 to 6; and
M + is a cation,
an alkoxy sulfate surfactant defined by the formula below

or acid or salt thereof, wherein
R A is C 8 -C 36 alkyl group;
BO represents —CH 2 —CH(ethyl)-O—;
PO represents —CH 2 —CH(methyl)-O—;
EO represents —CH 2 —CH 2 —O—; and
e, f and g are each independently integers from 0 to 50, with the proviso that at least one of e, f and g is not zero, or
an alkoxy sulfate surfactant defined Formula V

wherein
R 1 is an R 4 -substituted or unsubstituted C 8 -C 20 alkyl group, an R 3 -substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or an R 3 -substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group;
R 2 is independently hydrogen or methyl;
R 3 is independently an R 4 -substituted or unsubstituted C 1 -C 15 alkyl, an R 4 -substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or an R 4 -substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group;
R 4 is independently an unsubstituted aryl group or an unsubstituted cycloalkyl group;
n is an integer from 25 to 115;
X is —CH 2 C(O)O − M + , —CH 2 C(O)OH; and
M + is a cation.

26 . (canceled)

27 . (canceled)

28 . (canceled)

29 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a cosolvent, an alkali agent, a viscosity enhancing polymer, a gas or a foam, a chelating agent, or a combination thereof.

30 . (canceled)

31 . (canceled)

32 . (canceled)

33 . (canceled)

34 . (canceled)

35 . (canceled)

36 . (canceled)

37 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a pH of from 9 to 12.

38 . An emulsion composition comprising a hydrocarbon material and a composition of claim 1 .

39 . The emulsion composition of claim 38 , wherein the emulsion comprises a microemulsion.

40 . The emulsion composition of claim 38 , wherein the hydrocarbon material is unrefined petroleum in a petroleum reservoir, heavy crude oil, bitumen, or nonactive oil.

41 . (canceled)

42 . (canceled)

43 . (canceled)

44 . The emulsion composition of claim 38 , wherein the hydrocarbon material has a viscosity of 500 cp or greater.

45 . The emulsion composition of claim 38 , wherein the hydrocarbon material has a viscosity of 1,000 cp or less.

46 . The emulsion composition of claim 38 , wherein the hydrocarbon material has an acid number from 2 to 10 mg-KOH/g-oil.

47 . The emulsion composition of claim 38 , wherein the hydrocarbon material has a density of 750 kg/m 3 or greater or an API gravity of 20° or less.

48 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Univ Texas
• Harcros Chemicals Inc

Inventors

• Weerasooriya Upali
• Mohanty Kishore K
• Panthi Krishna
• Sharma Himanshu
• Ghosh Pinaki
• Okuno Ryosuke
• Baek Kwang Hoon
• Abeykoon Gayan Aruna

Classifications

• C09K8/604

  Polymeric surfactants · CPC title

• C09K8/00

  Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations · CPC title

• C09K8/584 Primary

  characterised by the use of specific surfactants · CPC title

• C09K8/524

  organic depositions, e.g. paraffins or asphaltenes · CPC title

• E21B43/16

  Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons · CPC title