Phenol-alkoxylate co-solvent surfactant for hard water EOR
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) methods are costly and inefficient, particularly when dealing with hard water supplies, as they often require expensive chelants or water softening processes to prevent precipitation of cations, limiting their effectiveness in various reservoir conditions.
Innovation Solution
The development of aqueous compositions comprising a surfactant and a co-solvent with specific formulas (I, II, and III) that are versatile and cost-effective, capable of operating across a broad range of reservoir conditions, including high temperatures and high salinity, by forming emulsions that reduce viscosity and enhance oil recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If alkali is used to react with acid in reactive oil to form soap in situ, then surfactant effectiveness is improved, but cation precipitation occurs in hard water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a chelating agent as an intermediary substance that binds with cations (Ca2+, Mg2+) in hard water, preventing them from precipitating when alkali is added. This chelating agent acts as a mediator between the alkali and cations, allowing the soap formation process to proceed effectively without the harmful side effect of cation precipitation.
2Reliability
If expensive chelants or water softening processes are used to prevent cation precipitation, then surfactant effectiveness is maintained, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs chelating agents that are relatively inexpensive compared to traditional chelants or water softening processes. These chelating agents perform their function of preventing cation precipitation effectively and can be used in the surfactant composition without requiring expensive infrastructure or complex water treatment systems, thereby reducing overall cost while maintaining surfactant effectiveness.
3Device complexity
If conventional surfactant compositions are used in hard water, then oil recovery process is simple, but precipitation occurs reducing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The chelating agent serves as a mediator that allows the surfactant composition to maintain its simplicity while preventing the harmful precipitation effect. By incorporating the chelating agent into the surfactant composition, the process remains straightforward without sacrificing oil recovery effectiveness, as the chelating agent proactively prevents cation precipitation throughout the EOR process.
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
These compositions effectively displace unrefined petroleum from solid materials, converting petroleum acids into surfactants, thereby improving oil recovery efficiency and reducing the need for expensive additives, making the process more economically viable and adaptable to diverse reservoir conditions.
Implementation Method 1
capable of operating across a broad range of reservoir conditions, including high temperatures and high salinity, by forming emulsions that reduce viscosity and enhance oil recovery
Implementation Method 2
The alkali reacts with the acid in the reactive oil to form soap in situ
Implementation Method 3
the co-solvent is present in an amount sufficient to increase the solubility of the surfactant in the aqueous phase
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are, inter alia, compositions including a surfactant and a phenol-alkoxylate co-solvent useful in enhanced oil recovery. The compositions and methods provided herein are particularly useful for oil recovery under a broad range of reservoir conditions (e.g. high to low temperatures, high to low salinity, highly viscous oils).