Inverted Polymer Solutions for Enhanced Oil Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water-in-oil emulsions for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes do not invert readily and often fail to flow through porous structures, limiting their utility due to high filter ratios and plugging issues, especially in low permeability formations.
Innovation Solution
Methods for preparing inverted polymer solutions by inverting liquid polymer compositions comprising acrylamide copolymers in an aqueous fluid, using specific surfactants and mixing techniques to achieve concentrations of 50 to 15,000 ppm, with a filter ratio of 1.5 or less, enabling efficient injection and flow through hydrocarbon-bearing formations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If water-in-oil emulsions are used for enhanced oil recovery, then polymer concentration can be achieved, but the emulsions do not invert readily and fail to flow through porous structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the emulsion by incorporating specific surfactants and co-surfactants in optimized ratios, changing the emulsion's physical properties to enable ready inversion and improved flow through porous structures while maintaining polymer concentration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces surfactants and co-surfactants as intermediary substances that facilitate the inversion process and improve the emulsion's ability to flow through porous structures, acting as mediators between the polymer concentration requirement and the flowability requirement
2Quantity of substance
If existing water-in-oil emulsions are inverted, then polymer solution is obtained, but the resulting emulsions have high filter ratios and cannot pass through porous structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes parameters including surfactant concentration, co-surfactant concentration, and their ratio to each other, which changes the physical-chemical properties of the inverted emulsion to achieve low filter ratios and improved reliability for passing through porous structures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite emulsion system combining polymer, surfactant, and co-surfactant components that work synergistically to provide both the required polymer concentration and the low filter ratio necessary for reliable injection through porous structures
3Ease of operation
If water-in-oil emulsions are used for EOR, then fluid mobility control is achieved, but they cannot be efficiently inverted using aqueous medium containing dissolved salts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs surfactants and co-surfactants that are effective in saline environments, allowing the emulsion to be inverted efficiently using aqueous media containing dissolved salts, making the process adaptable to real EOR conditions without requiring specialized equipment or complex procedures
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 inverted polymer solutions exhibit improved injectivity and filterability, reducing plugging risks and enhancing oil recovery by maintaining low viscosity and filter ratios, thus facilitating effective use in EOR operations.
Implementation Method 1
inverting an LP composition comprising one or more synthetic (co)polymers dispersed or emulsified in one or more hydrophobic liquids to provide an inverted polymer solution
Implementation Method 2
one or more emulsifier surfactants; and one or more inverting surfactants
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are liquid polymer (LP) compositions comprising a synthetic (co)polymer (e.g., an acrylamide (co)polymer), as well as methods for preparing inverted polymer solutions by inverting these LP compositions in an aqueous fluid. The resulting inverted polymer solutions can have a concentration of a synthetic (co)polymer (e.g., an acrylamide (co)polymer) of from 50 to 15,000 ppm, and a filter ratio of 1.5 or less at 15 psi using a 1.2 μm filter. Also provided are methods of using these inverted polymer solutions in oil and gas operations, including enhanced oil recovery.