Low-Temperature Surfactant Blend for Enhanced Oil Recovery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current enhanced oil recovery methods face challenges due to the low stability of anionic surfactants at low temperatures, leading to viscosity and gelling issues that affect the efficiency of subterranean petroleum recovery.
Innovation Solution
Aqueous solutions comprising nonionic surfactants with specific structures, di-sulfonated anionic surfactants, and alcohols are injected into subterranean formations to enhance oil recovery, maintaining stability at temperatures as low as -5°C, thereby preventing phase separation and viscosity problems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If anionic surfactants are used as wettability modifiers in enhanced oil recovery, then oil recovery efficiency is improved, but stability at low temperatures deteriorates leading to viscosity and gelling problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines anionic surfactants with nonionic surfactants and alcohols to form a composite aqueous composition. This composite approach leverages the synergistic effects where nonionic surfactants and alcohols stabilize the anionic surfactant system at low temperatures, preventing phase separation and viscosity issues while maintaining effective wettability modification for oil recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters by incorporating specific nonionic surfactants and alcohols in optimized ratios. This parameter change transforms the system from an unstable single-surfactant solution to a stable multi-component system that maintains flowability and pumpability at low temperatures while retaining oil recovery effectiveness.
2Reliability
If aqueous anionic surfactant solutions are used at low temperatures, then wettability modification is achieved, but phase separation occurs resulting in high viscosity and gelling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces nonionic surfactants and alcohols as intermediary substances that mediate between the anionic surfactant and the aqueous environment at low temperatures. These intermediaries prevent direct phase separation by forming stable micellar structures that maintain system homogeneity and prevent gelling, while allowing the anionic surfactant to perform its wettability modification function.
3Productivity
If conventional surfactant blends are used for enhanced oil recovery, then oil displacement is improved, but transportation and storage become problematic due to viscosity and gelling at low temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the compositional parameters by incorporating specific ratios of nonionic surfactants and alcohols that lower the pour point and maintain fluidity at low temperatures. This parameter optimization ensures the composition remains pumpable and transportable during winter conditions while maintaining effective concentrations for oil displacement in the reservoir.
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 proposed solution ensures the stability and effectiveness of the aqueous wettability compositions at low temperatures, improving the efficiency of oil recovery by maintaining flowability and pumpability, thus enhancing the recovery factor.
Implementation Method 1
The wettability of a rock can be naturally modified by adsorption of polar compounds
Implementation Method 2
It is known that the solubility of nonionic surfactants in water decreases with temperature and that a nonionic surfactant eventually becomes insoluble when reaching what is known as a cloud point temperature
Implementation Method 3
Wettability modifiers are defined as a surfactants capable of changing the affinity of reservoir rock in favorable manner
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a temperature stabilized aqueous wettability composition and method of use for the recovery of petroleum from subterranean formulations. Said aqueous wettability composition comprises a polyethylene oxide nonionic surfactant, a disulfonated anionic surfactant, and one or more alcohol.