Amido-functionalized gemini surfactant for fluid control in subterranean formations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9670397-B2
Application number	US-201414414036-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2014
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

Controlling fluid flow in a subterranean formation containing water and hydrocarbons utilizing a Gemini surfactant introduced to the formation via a wellbore. The Gemini surfactant includes a head group having two cationic groups linked by an alkyl spacer, an amide extending from each of the cationic groups, and each amide having a hydrophobic tail extending therefrom.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling fluid flow in a subterranean formation containing water and hydrocarbons, the method comprising:
dissolving a Gemini surfactant in an aqueous delivery fluid without pH adjustment, the Gemini surfactant having the formula I

wherein
Q is an unsubstituted C 3 -C 6 -alkyl;
R 1 each independently is C 1 -C 5 alkyl;
R 2 each independently is C 7 -C 17 alkyl; and
X is a halogen selected from F, Cl, Br, or I;
pumping the aqueous delivery fluid having the Gemini surfactant into the subterranean formation, the subterranean formation containing pores;
propagating the Gemini surfactant containing aqueous delivery fluid through the pores of the formation;
adsorbing the Gemini surfactant onto a surface within the pores; and
enhancing the flow of hydrocarbon into the production well and inhibiting the flow of the water by the presence of the Gemini surfactant in the pores of the formation, wherein the Gemini surfactant acts as a relative permeability modifier.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein X is Br.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Gemini surfactant is provided to the subterranean formation in a fluid using pump equipment.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the fluid comprises at least one of brine, saltwater, seawater and mixtures thereof.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the Gemini surfactant is mixed with a fracturing fluid using blending equipment.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the fluid is provided after a fracking process as part of a water flooding process.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subterranean formation comprises at least one of sandstones, limestones, dolomite, calcite, carbonates, calcium carbonate, or silicates, or mixtures thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the critical micelle concentration of the Gemini surfactant in the fluid is less than 12.5 mmol/l.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 2 is C 7 -C 12 alkyl.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 2 is C 7 -C 10 alkyl.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Gemini surfactant adsorbed onto the surface of the pores creates a capillary action within the pores of the formation thereby drawing hydrocarbons through the pores of the formation.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein Q is a C 6 -alkyl.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the formation comprises sandstone.

14. A process for controlling the flow of water and hydrocarbons in a subterranean formation comprising:
dissolving a Gemini surfactant in an aqueous delivery fluid without pH adjustment, wherein the Gemini surfactant has the formula I:

wherein
Q is unsubstituted C 3 -C 6 -alkyl;
R 1 each independently is C 1 -C 5 alkyl;
R 2 each independently is C 7 -C 17 alkyl; and
X is a halogen selected from F, Cl, Br, or I;
pumping the aqueous delivery fluid having the Gemini surfactant into the subterranean formation, the subterranean formation containing pores;
propagating the Gemini surfactant containing aqueous delivery fluid through the pores of the formation;
adsorbing the Gemini surfactant onto a surface within the pores;
injecting a second aqueous fluid into a zone of the formation for sweeping hydrocarbon into a production well; and
enhancing the flow of hydrocarbon into the production well and inhibiting the flow of water by the presence of the Gemini surfactant in the pores of the formation.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the fluid is prepared utilizing blending equipment and is provided to the subterranean formation utilizing pumping equipment.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the Gemini surfactant is introduced downhole in a water flooding process.

17. The process of claim 14 , wherein R 2 is C 7 -C 12 alkyl.

18. The process of claim 14 , wherein R 2 is C 7 -C 10 alkyl.

19. The process of claim 14 , wherein the Gemini surfactant is providing a fluid to a subterranean formation in a water flooding process.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc
• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Ghumare Anant Kanhoba
• Uppuluri Ramesh
• Belakshe Ravikant

Classifications

• C09K8/602 Primary

  containing surfactants · CPC title

• C09K8/035

  Organic additives · CPC title

• C09K8/68

  containing organic compounds · CPC title

• C09K8/86

  containing organic compounds · CPC title