Anionic Cocogem Surfactants for Enhanced Oil Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surfactants used in enhanced oil recovery processes are not effective at low concentrations and lack thermal stability under high temperature and salinity conditions typical of deeper oil storage layers, requiring surfactants with lower critical micelle concentration and reduced water-to-oil interfacial tension.
Innovation Solution
Development of anionic cocogem surfactants with specific molecular structures that form micelles at lower concentrations and exhibit thermal stability, achieved through a process involving the reaction of sulfonic acids or carboxylic acids with diamines or triamines in the presence of a protic solvent, resulting in surfactants that reduce interfacial tension effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional surfactants are used in enhanced oil recovery processes, then they can reduce interfacial tension between oil and water phases, but they require high concentrations to achieve effective results and lack stability under high temperature and salinity conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the molecular structure parameters of surfactants by introducing gemini structures with specific spacer groups (ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, or alkylene chains) and controlling the hydrophobic tail length (C12-C18), which fundamentally alters the critical micelle concentration and thermal stability characteristics, enabling effective performance at lower concentrations under reservoir conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates composite surfactant molecules combining two hydrophobic chains with two hydrophilic head groups connected by a spacer, forming a dimeric structure that exhibits synergistic effects - the hydrophobic tails provide oil affinity while the hydrophilic heads with spacer groups provide water solubility and thermal stability, achieving superior performance compared to monomeric surfactants
2Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional surfactants are used to reduce water-to-oil interfacial tension, then some tension reduction is achieved, but the interfacial tension remains higher compared to cocogem surfactants at equivalent concentrations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance by controlling the length of hydrophobic chains (C12-C18) and the nature of spacer groups, which directly affects the surfactant's ability to adsorb at the oil-water interface and reduce interfacial tension, achieving ultra-low interfacial tension values at very low concentrations
Solution Approach 2:
The gemini surfactant structure segments the molecule into distinct hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions connected by a flexible spacer, allowing independent optimization of each segment's function - the segmented structure enhances interfacial activity and enables more effective tension reduction compared to conventional monomeric surfactants
3Productivity
If higher concentrations of conventional surfactants are used to improve recovery efficiency, then more oil can be recovered, but the cost and environmental impact increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the molecular architecture to gemini structures with optimized spacer groups and hydrophobic chain lengths, the invention achieves ultra-low critical micelle concentrations, allowing effective oil recovery at surfactant dosages orders of magnitude lower than conventional surfactants, thereby reducing both cost and environmental burden
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a simplified yet highly effective surfactant model where the essential functional groups (hydrophobic tails, hydrophilic heads, and spacer) are arranged in a gemini configuration that copies and amplifies the beneficial effects of natural surfactants while requiring minimal quantities for effective performance
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 cocogem surfactants demonstrate significantly lower critical micelle concentration and maintain low interfacial tension even at high salt content, enhancing the efficiency of enhanced oil recovery processes by forming stable micelles and reducing the amount of surfactant required, thus improving tertiary oil recovery efficiency and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
critical concentration for micelle formation of gemini surfactants (hereinafter referred to as CMC, Critical Micelle Concentration) is one or two orders of magnitude smaller than the monomeric surfactants
Implementation Method 2
provide reduced water-to-oil interfacial tension as compared to the prior art
Data Source
AI summary
The anionic cocogem surfactant of formula (I) for an oil production process of increased efficiencywhereineach R1 and R2 is independently selected from hydrogen or C1-C18 straight or branched alkyl optionally substituted by OH;each R3 is independently selected from hydrogen; C1-C25 straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl optionally comprising inter-chain amido-group; aromatic group optionally substituted by C1-C25, preferably C5-C20, more preferably C5-C15 straight or branched alkyl, preferably selected from phenyl and diphenylether; or C10-C20 straight or branched alkenyl, alkadienyl or alkatrienyl;Z is C1-C18 straight or branched alkylene optionally substituted by one or two C1-C6 alkyl or preferably C3-C6 cycloalkyl, optionally comprising (EO)n and/or (PO)m groups, wherein EO is ethylene-oxide i.e. —CH2CH2O—, and PO is propylene-oxide, i.e. —CH(CH3)CH2O—, wherein n and m is independently an integer of from 0 to 30 and n+m is an integer of from 1 to 30; and/or [NH(R4)]+ quaternary ammonium, wherein R4 is hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, preferably methyl or ethyl;R5 is hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl, preferably methyl or ethyl;An is one or more groups selected from SO3−, Cl− or CO2−;i is an integer of 0 or 1;p is an integer of 2 or 3;j is an integer of 2 or 3.