Alkyl Ricinoleate Inversion Agents for Water-in-Oil Lattices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water-in-oil (w/o) polymer lattices face challenges in rapid inversion and stability when diluted with high total dissolved solids or at low temperatures, leading to issues like coagulation, precipitation, and reduced reservoir permeability, particularly in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) applications.
Innovation Solution
The use of C1-C6 alkyl ricinoleate esters as inversion agents, combined with inversion surfactants, to form invertible w/o lattices that can rapidly and completely convert into stable polymer solutions even at low temperatures and with high total dissolved solids, facilitating efficient polymer flooding in challenging reservoir conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional w/o polymer lattices are diluted with water containing high total dissolved solids or at low temperatures, then inversion occurs, but instability, coagulation, and precipitation occur reducing reservoir permeability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces inversion agents (surfactants with HLB 10-40) as intermediaries to facilitate the inversion process. These surfactants act as mediators between the oil phase and water phase, enabling stable inversion even in challenging conditions with high total dissolved solids or low temperatures, thereby preventing coagulation and precipitation while maintaining solution stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the lattice system by incorporating specific inversion agents with high HLB values (10-40). This parameter change in surfactant properties enables the system to maintain stability during inversion under varying temperature and water quality conditions, resolving the contradiction between inversion speed and solution stability
2Duration of action of stationary object
If w/o lattices are formulated for stability during storage and transport, then shelf life is extended, but inversion performance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-formulating the w/o lattice with optimized inversion agents during manufacturing. This preliminary incorporation of surfactants with HLB 10-40 ensures that the lattice maintains both long-term storage stability and rapid inversion performance when deployed, eliminating the need for field adjustments and ensuring consistent performance across the product lifecycle
3Ease of operation
If polymer concentration in dispersions is reduced to target levels (1 wt % or less), then injectability is improved, but transport efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by formulating the polymer dispersion with adjustable viscosity characteristics through optimized surfactant content. This enables the dispersion to be transported efficiently at higher concentrations and then inverted in situ to the target polymer concentration (1 wt % or less) for injection, providing dynamic adaptability between transport and injection phases without compromising either efficiency or ease of operation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The described approach enables rapid and complete inversion of w/o lattices, preventing instability and equipment issues, thereby improving the efficiency and effectiveness of polymer flooding in EOR processes by ensuring stable, fully hydrated polymer solutions across varying temperature and water quality conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The use of C1-C6 alkyl ricinoleate esters as inversion agents, combined with inversion surfactants, to form invertible w/o lattices that can rapidly and completely convert into stable polymer solutions
Implementation Method 2
The use of C1-C6 alkyl ricinoleate esters as inversion agents, combined with inversion surfactants, to form invertible w/o lattices that can rapidly and completely convert into stable polymer solutions
Data Source
AI summary
Water-in-oil lattices of water soluble polymers and methods of using the same are presented. The lattices are made, used, and stored having about 15 wt % to 70 wt % polymer solids and further include one or more alkyl ricinoleates. We have found that C1-C6 alkyl ricinoleates added to such lattices facilitate rapid and complete dilution to less than or equal to 1 wt % polymer solids in a continuous water phase. In particular under conditions wherein the water source used to invert the latex is provided at low temperature (−10° C. to 10° C.), or includes a high level of total dissolved solids, or is both low temperature and high total dissolved solids.