Chelating Agent Treatment for Subterranean Phase Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current oil and gas production processes face challenges in separating aqueous and non-aqueous phases effectively, leading to contamination and increased production costs due to the presence of water and residual treatment fluids, which often result in valuable oil and gas being dumped or flared.
Innovation Solution
A two-step process using an aqueous composition containing chelating agents like glutamic acid N,N-diacetic acid (GLDA), aspartic acid N,N-diacetic acid (ASDA), and N-hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine N,N′,N′-triacetic acid (HEDTA) to treat subterranean formations, followed by efficient separation of the aqueous phase from the non-aqueous phase, reducing the need for chemical or heat treatments and minimizing residual contaminants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional aqueous compositions are used to treat subterranean formations, then the treatment can be performed, but the separation of aqueous and non-aqueous phases becomes difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the aqueous composition by using chelating agents (GLDA, ASDA, MGDA, HEDTA) instead of conventional acids. These chelating agents form soluble complexes with metal ions, altering the chemical properties of the aqueous phase to enable faster and easier separation from the non-aqueous phase while maintaining effective formation treatment capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs chelating agents that are designed to be consumed during the treatment process, forming temporary complexes with metal ions in the formation. These agents perform their function and are then easily separated and disposed of, eliminating the need for complex recovery systems while achieving the desired treatment effect.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional treatment fluids are used, then formation treatment can be achieved, but residual contaminants remain in the produced oil and gas requiring additional chemical or heat treatments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the problematic components from the treatment system by using chelating agents that form water-soluble complexes with metal ions. These complexes are completely separated from the oil and gas phases, leaving no residual contaminants that would require additional chemical or heat treatments, thus achieving high product purity with simplified processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical separation systems and additional chemical/heat treatment stages with a chemically optimized aqueous composition that naturally separates from the non-aqueous phase. The chelating agents enable contaminants to be removed through simple phase separation rather than requiring sophisticated mechanical or thermal processing systems.
3Manufacturing precision
If thorough separation is performed to remove water and treatment fluids, then product quality improves, but production costs increase due to additional processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses chelating agents that perform their contamination-removal function and are then easily discarded with the aqueous phase. This disposable approach to contamination control achieves high product purity without requiring energy-intensive recovery or reprocessing of the treatment fluids, thereby reducing overall production costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts contaminants into the aqueous phase through chelation, allowing for simple one-step separation that achieves thorough purification. This extraction approach eliminates the need for multiple sequential processing steps, reducing both capital expenditure on equipment and operational energy costs while maintaining high product purity standards.
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
This process enables faster and easier phase separation, reducing the need for chemical or heat treatments, minimizing contamination, and allowing for the production of purer oil and gas, thereby decreasing production costs and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a subterranean formation is treated with an aqueous composition containing glutamic acid N,N-diacetic acid or a salt thereof (GLDA), aspartic acid N,N-diacetic acid or a salt thereof (ASDA), methylglycine N,N-diacetic acid or a salt thereof (MGDA) and/or N-hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine N,N′,N′-triacetic acid or a salt thereof (HEDTA)
Implementation Method 2
in the outlet streams from the subterranean formation the aqueous phase is separated from the non-aqueous phase
Data Source
AI summary
A two-step process to produce oil or gas from a subterranean formation wherein in a first step the subterranean formation is treated with an aqueous composition containing a chelating agent selected from the group of glutamic acid N,N-diacetic acid or a salt thereof (GLDA), aspartic acid N,N-diacetic acid or a salt thereof (ASDA), methylglycine N,N-diacetic acid or a salt thereof (MGDA), and N-hydroxyethyl ethylenediamine N,N′,N′-triacetic acid or a salt thereof (HEDTA) and wherein, in a next step, in the outlet streams from the subterranean formation the aqueous phase is separated from the non-aqueous phase.