Use of Organic Acids or a Salt Thereof in Surfactant-Based Enhanced Oil Recovery Formulations and Techniques

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a surfactant formulation for use in treating and recovering fossil fluid from a subterranean formation. The surfactant formulation includes a nonionic surfactant, organic acid selected from citric acid, diglycolic acid, glycolic acid and a salt thereof and injection water. The surfactant formulation may be injected into one or more injection wells located within the subterranean formation and fossil fluids can then be subsequently recovered from one or more producing wells

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present disclosure is directed to surfactant formulation containing a nonionic surfactant, an organic acid selected from citric acid, diglycolic acid, glycolic acid and a salt thereof and injection water and to a process for recovering fossil fluids from subterranean reservoirs employing such surfactant formulations.BACKGROUND INFORMATION[0002]Fossil fluids are generally recovered from underground formations by penetrating the formation with one or more wells and pumping or permitting the fossil fluid to flow to the surface through the well. In primary recovery, a natural driving energy such as an underlying active water drive or a gas under some minimum pressure may possess sufficient pressure to drive the fluid to the well and then to the surface. In many instances, the natural driving energy is insufficient or becomes insufficient to cause the fluid to flow to the well. Thus, a substantial portion of the fossil fluid to be recovered can remain in t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present patent is about a new formulation of a surfactant that can be used to treat a subterranean formation that contains fossil fluids. The formulation includes a nonionic surfactant, an organic acid (such as citric acid, diglycolic acid, glycolic acid, or their salt), and water. The formulation can be prepared by combining the nonionic surfactant with the organic acid and water. The formulation can then be injected into the subterranean formation to recover the fossil fluids. The technical effect of this patent is to provide a more effective and efficient way to treat and recover fossil fluids from subterranean formations.

Problems solved by technology

In many instances, the natural driving energy is insufficient or becomes insufficient to cause the fluid to flow to the well.

When the injection of water no longer results in acceptable rates of production, the producing well must either be abandoned or subjected to other processes to further increase extraction.

The challenge one skilled in the art faces when implementing such a process is determining an effective combination of components which make up the surfactant package.

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