Hyperbranched Polyglycerol Additive for EOR
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current enhanced oil recovery methods face inefficiencies due to factors like oil viscosity and rock characteristics, and conventional additives often fail to perform effectively in the harsh conditions of subterranean reservoirs, such as high temperatures and salinity.
Innovation Solution
The use of hyperbranched polyglycerols, derived from a C2 to C25 carbon alcohol and glycidol, as additives that can enhance oil recovery by adjusting viscosity, altering wettability, and reducing surface tension, while being stable at high temperatures and salinity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional additives are used in enhanced oil recovery processes, then the displacement efficiency may be improved, but the additives fail to maintain effectiveness in harsh subterranean conditions such as high temperatures and salinity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the molecular structure of polyglycerol to create a hyperbranched configuration with specific hydroxyl group arrangements. This structural parameter change enables the additive to maintain its functional properties (surfactant activity, foam stability) under harsh subterranean conditions of high temperature and salinity that would degrade conventional additives
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite functional system by combining hyperbranched polyglycerol with surfactants to form a synergistic additive composition. This composite approach leverages the thermal and salinity stability of polyglycerol backbone with the surface-active properties of surfactant molecules, achieving reliable performance in harsh reservoir conditions
2Reliability
If hyperbranched polyglycerol is used as an additive, then stability in harsh conditions is improved, but the complexity of the additive composition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hyperbranched polyglycerol structure is segmented into multiple generations with controlled branching levels, allowing the molecule to maintain stability while presenting simplified interaction surfaces with oil and water phases. This segmentation enables reliable performance without requiring complex mixed additive systems
3Quantity of substance
If surfactants are added as foaming agents, then foam volume is enhanced, but the effectiveness is reduced under high temperature and salinity conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The hyperbranched polyglycerol acts as an intermediary stabilizing agent that protects surfactant molecules from degradation by high temperature and salinity. The polyglycerol backbone forms a stable framework that maintains foam structure integrity, allowing surfactants to continue generating foam volume while the polyglycerol ensures their stability in harsh reservoir conditions
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
Hyperbranched polyglycerols improve the efficiency of enhanced oil recovery processes by maintaining stability and effectiveness in harsh conditions, enhancing foam volume, and altering interfacial tension, thereby increasing oil recovery.
Implementation Method 1
altering interfacial tension
Implementation Method 2
altering wettability
Data Source
AI summary
A method of enhanced oil recovery that includes injecting a composition including an hyperbranched polyglycerol into an injection well in a subterranean oil-bearing reservoir, the hyperbranched polyglycerol being a primary alcohol that is a reaction product of a C2 to C25 carbon alcohol and a plurality of glycidols; and displacing oil in the subterranean oil-bearing reservoir using the composition.