Inverting Surfactant for Water-in-Oil Emulsion Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water-in-oil emulsions used for subterranean treatments face challenges in stability and friction reduction due to the hydrophilic nature of typical inverting surfactants like ethoxylated alcohols, which can destabilize emulsions and require high concentrations to achieve effective hydration.
Innovation Solution
A water-in-oil emulsion comprising an inert hydrophobic liquid as the continuous phase, with an aqueous phase containing a water-soluble polymer and an inverting surfactant combination of alkyl propylene diamine and ethoxylated alcohol, where the surfactant is present in an amount less than 5% by weight, enhancing emulsion stability and friction reduction properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If ethoxylated alcohol is used as inverting surfactant, then emulsion inversion speed is improved, but emulsion stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines alkyl propylene diamine and ethoxylated alcohol in a specific ratio (1:4 to 1:10) to create a composite inverting surfactant system. This merging allows the ethoxylated alcohol to provide fast inversion while the alkyl propylene diamine component maintains emulsion stability, resolving the contradiction between inversion speed and stability that plagues using ethoxylated alcohol alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the inverting surfactant system by introducing alkyl propylene diamine with specific carbon chain lengths (10-20 carbons) and combining it with ethoxylated alcohol in controlled ratios. This parameter modification allows the system to achieve both fast inversion kinetics and sustained emulsion stability, overcoming the limitations of single-component surfactants.
2Quantity of substance
If excess ethoxylated alcohol is added to improve hydration, then hydration performance is improved, but emulsion stability deteriorates significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges alkyl propylene diamine with ethoxylated alcohol in a balanced ratio system where the total surfactant concentration is kept below 5% of the emulsion weight. This combination allows adequate hydration performance while the alkyl propylene diamine component counteracts the destabilizing effect of excess ethoxylated alcohol, maintaining emulsion stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the surfactant composition parameters by limiting ethoxylated alcohol content and supplementing with alkyl propylene diamine. This parameter optimization achieves the necessary hydration performance for subterranean treatment while preventing the significant stability deterioration that occurs with excess ethoxylated alcohol alone.
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 emulsion exhibits a fast hydration rate and improved friction reduction in subterranean treatments, maintaining stability under various conditions and outperforming similar treatments without the alkyl propylene diamine surfactant combination.
Implementation Method 1
an inverting surfactant present in an amount less than 5 percent by weight of the water-in-oil emulsion and comprising an alkyl propylene diamine and an ethoxylated alcohol
Implementation Method 2
Water soluble polymers can be used as friction reducers in well treatment fluids to alter the rheological properties of the fluid so that the turbulent flow is minimized
Data Source
AI summary
Water-in-oil emulsions are provided that include an alkyl propylene diamine and an ethoxylated alcohol as the inverting surfactant, which is present in an amount less than 5 percent by weight of the water-in-oil emulsion.