Ionic Liquid CO2 Flooding for Lower Miscibility Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing enhanced oil recovery methods face challenges such as high operating pressures, insufficient miscibility, asphaltene precipitation, and excessive gas consumption, particularly in high-pressure, high-temperature reservoirs, which can lead to reservoir fracturing and reduced production rates.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of ionic liquids, specifically 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride ([MOIM]Cl) and 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([DMIM]Cl), is injected into hydrocarbon fluids to form a mixture with crude oil and CO2, reducing the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) and first contact miscibility pressure (FCMP) by up to 30% and 21%, respectively, thereby enhancing oil recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If CO2 injection pressure is increased to achieve miscibility for enhanced oil recovery, then oil recovery efficiency is improved, but the risk of reservoir fracturing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter by introducing ionic liquids into the CO2 injection system. This chemical modification allows the system to achieve miscibility and enhanced oil recovery at lower pressures, thereby resolving the contradiction between improving oil recovery efficiency and avoiding reservoir fracturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The ionic liquid acts as an intermediary substance between CO2 and crude oil. It facilitates miscibility and enhances oil displacement efficiency without requiring high injection pressures, thus enabling effective oil recovery while preventing reservoir damage from excessive pressure.
2Productivity
If traditional enhanced oil recovery methods are used in high-pressure, high-temperature reservoirs, then oil recovery is attempted, but reservoir fracturing occurs reducing production rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the physical and chemical parameters of the injection fluid by incorporating ionic liquids. This enables the system to operate effectively in high-pressure, high-temperature reservoirs without causing fracturing, thus maintaining both oil recovery effectiveness and production rate stability.
3Productivity
If ionic liquid is added to reduce minimum miscibility pressure, then CO2 injection efficiency is improved and reservoir damage risk is reduced, but the complexity of the injection composition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the compositional parameter by adding ionic liquids to the CO2 injection system. While this does increase composition complexity, the benefit of achieving efficient oil recovery at lower pressures with reduced reservoir damage risk outweighs the added complexity, particularly given that ionic liquids are well-defined chemical compounds with predictable behavior.
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 method effectively lowers MMP and FCMP, improving CO2 injection efficiency and reducing the risk of reservoir damage, thus enhancing oil recovery while maintaining economic feasibility.
Implementation Method 1
the ionic liquid is added to the hydrocarbon fluid in an amount effective to reduce the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) of the hydrocarbon fluid by at least 10% and or to reduce the first contact miscibility pressure (FCMP) of the hydrocarbon fluid by at least 10%
Implementation Method 2
miscible CO2 injection enhances sweep efficiency and reduces CO2-oil interfacial tension
Data Source
AI summary
A method of reducing a minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) of a hydrocarbon fluid in a subterranean geologic formation includes mixing an ionic liquid with the hydrocarbon fluid by injecting a composition, including the ionic liquid, into the subterranean geologic to form a first mixture. The first mixture includes a crude oil, CO2, water, and the ionic liquid, where the crude oil has a total concentration of asphaltenes of at least 5 percent by weight (wt. %) based on the total weight of the crude oil. The ionic liquid is added to the hydrocarbon fluid in an amount effective to reduce the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) of the hydrocarbon fluid by at least 10% and or to reduce the first contact miscibility pressure (FCMP) of the hydrocarbon fluid by at least 10%.