Non-ionic Alkali Polymer Solutions for Enhanced Oil Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current enhanced oil recovery methods face challenges due to high interfacial tension between oil and water, leading to inefficient oil displacement in subterranean reservoirs, and existing surfactant systems are often unstable, costly, and fail to optimize oil recovery across varying reservoir salinity conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a clear and aqueous stable solution injected into the reservoir, comprising a non-ionic chemical, a polymer, and an alkali, which reduces interfacial tension and is optimized for specific reservoir conditions, ensuring effective oil solubilization and stability, thereby enhancing oil recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If water flooding is used to displace oil, then the flooding process is simple and widely applicable, but high interfacial tension between oil and water results in high capillary pressure that traps oil in porous media
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the flooding liquid by adding surfactants and alkaline substances that chemically react with acidic components in crude oil to generate in-situ surfactants. This chemical transformation reduces interfacial tension between oil and water phases, enabling effective oil displacement while maintaining the simplicity of the flooding process
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes components already present in the crude oil (acidic compounds) to generate the active surfactant species through reaction with injected alkaline substances. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need to import external surfactants, reducing costs while improving displacement efficiency
2Productivity
If traditional surfactant systems are used to lower interfacial tension, then oil mobilization is improved, but the systems are unstable and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The system generates surfactants in-situ through chemical reaction between injected alkaline substances and acidic components naturally present in the crude oil. This eliminates the need for external surfactant imports, ensuring solution stability and reducing costs while maintaining effective oil mobilization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical environment by injecting alkaline substances that react with crude oil components to generate surfactants with optimal properties for the specific reservoir conditions, ensuring both stability and effectiveness
3Productivity
If surfactants are optimized for specific reservoir conditions, then oil recovery is maximized, but extensive laboratory testing and customization increase time and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically adapts to reservoir conditions by generating surfactants in-situ through reaction with crude oil components. The alkaline substances react with the specific acidic compounds present in each reservoir, automatically optimizing the surfactant properties for that specific environment without requiring external customization
Solution Approach 2:
The alkaline flooding system serves multiple functions: it acts as a chemical reactant to generate surfactants, a viscosity modifier, and a flow control agent. This multi-functionality allows a single injection strategy to work across different reservoir conditions, reducing the need for extensive customization and testing
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 solution effectively reduces interfacial tension, stabilizes the injection fluid, and improves oil recovery by maintaining a single phase, allowing for more efficient oil mobilization and recovery, even in reservoirs with high salinity variations, at a reduced chemical cost.
Implementation Method 1
Surfactants have been found to effectively lower the interfacial tension between oil and water and enable mobilization of trapped oil through the reservoir
Implementation Method 2
The solution for injection into the reservoir is formed by mixing a composition with at least one non-ionic chemical, at least one polymer, and at least one alkali
Implementation Method 3
The addition of chemicals to the flooding liquid has been used to modify early flooding techniques in order to improve the oil recovery
Data Source
AI summary
A method for enhancing oil recovery is disclosed. The method includes providing a subsurface reservoir containing hydrocarbons therewithin and a wellbore in fluid communication with the subsurface reservoir. A solution for injection into the reservoir is formed by mixing a composition with at least one non-ionic chemical, at least one polymer, and at least one alkali. The non-ionic chemical can be alcohol alkoxylates such as alkylaryl alkoxy alcohols or alkyl alkoxy alcohols. The solution is solution is clear and aqueous stable when mixed. The solution is injected through the wellbore into the subsurface reservoir.