Stable Percarboxylic Acid Compositions for Oil and Gas Water Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercially available peroxycarboxylic acid compositions have a low ratio of peroxycarboxylic acid to hydrogen peroxide, leading to stability issues and environmental concerns, particularly in water treatment for oil and gas drilling, where hydrogen peroxide interacts negatively with other components, reducing efficacy and causing performance failures.
Innovation Solution
A stable percarboxylic acid composition with a high ratio of peroxycarboxylic acid to hydrogen peroxide, stabilized by picolinic acid and 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid, which retains at least 80% activity after 30 days at 50°C, and can be used in water treatment for oil and gas drilling, reducing microbial populations effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the ratio of hydrogen peroxide to peroxycarboxylic acid is increased to improve stability, then the composition becomes more stable, but the biocidal efficacy is reduced and environmental issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the ratio of hydrogen peroxide to peroxycarboxylic acid within the range of 0.5:1 to 2:1, and optimizing the concentration of stabilizing agents (0.01-5% picolinic acid and 0.01-5% HEDP). This quantitative optimization resolves the contradiction by finding the optimal balance point where stability is sufficient for storage and transport, while biocidal efficacy remains effective and environmental impact is minimized.
2Reliability
If the ratio of peroxycarboxylic acid to hydrogen peroxide is increased to improve biocidal efficacy, then the biocidal performance is enhanced, but the stability of the composition deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces stabilizing agents (picolinic acid and HEDP) as intermediaries that mediate between peroxycarboxylic acid and hydrogen peroxide. These stabilizers form protective complexes with metal ions that would otherwise catalyze decomposition, enabling the composition to maintain high peroxycarboxylic acid content (good biocidal efficacy) while preventing spontaneous decomposition (maintaining stability).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite composition system combining peroxycarboxylic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and stabilizing agents in specific proportions. This composite approach allows the system to exhibit properties that balance both biocidal efficacy and stability, as the stabilizing agents integrate into the composition matrix to provide structural and chemical stability while maintaining the active biocidal components.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional stabilizers are used in high ratio peroxycarboxylic acid compositions, then commercial use is enabled, but the additional stability challenge cannot be met
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple stabilizing mechanisms by combining picolinic acid (a pyridine carboxylic acid stabilizer) with HEDP (a phosphonate stabilizer). This combination provides synergistic stabilization effects where picolinic acid chelates metal ions and HEDP provides additional chelation and forms protective films, together addressing the enhanced stability challenges of high peroxycarboxylic acid ratio compositions better than either stabilizer 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 high peroxycarboxylic acid to hydrogen peroxide ratio composition provides enhanced stability and efficacy, maintaining antimicrobial activity and reducing microbial populations in water treatment applications, while minimizing environmental impact and performance failures.
Implementation Method 1
stabilized by picolinic acid and 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-diphosphonic acid
Implementation Method 2
When decomposed, peracetic acid results in acetic acid (vinegar), water and oxygen
Implementation Method 3
hydrogen peroxide only has negligible biocidal efficacy
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
The present invention relates generally to stable percarboxylic acid compositions comprising, inter alia, at least two stabilizing agents, and various uses for water treatments, including water treatments in connection with oil- and gas-field operations. The present invention also relates to slick water compositions and gel based compositions that comprise stable percarboxylic acid compositions and the use thereof in oil- and gas-field operations.