Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090151941 | Method For Enhancing Oil Recovery With An Inproved Oil Recovery Surfactant - A method for enhancing oil recovery includes the step of providing a subsurface reservoir containing hydrocarbons therewithin. A wellbore is provided in fluid communication with the subsurface reservoir. A surfactant-polymer solution is formed for injection into the reservoir. The surfactant-polymer solution is formed by mixing a composition with at least one surfactant, at least one polymer, and at least one co-solvent or co-surfactant such that the surfactant-polymer solution is clear and aqueous stable. The surfactant-polymer solution is injected through the wellbore into the reservoir. A chaser solution is formed for injection into the reservoir. The chaser solution has an additional predetermined quantity of the co-solvent or co-surfactant. The chaser solution is injected through the injection wellbore into the reservoir to increase the production of hydrocarbons from the reservoir while maintaining the clear and aqueous stability of the surfactant-polymer solution. | 06-18-2009 |
20110118154 | METHOD OF MAKING A SYNTHETIC ALKYLARYL SULFONATE - A process for preparing an alkylaryl sulfonate comprising (a) reacting at least one meta-xylene compound with olefin or a mixture of olefins having from about 10 to about 20 carbon atoms, in the presence of an acid catalyst, wherein the resulting product comprises no more than 40 weight percent of 1-alkyl-2,4 dimethylsubstituted aromatic compound and at least about 60 weight percent of 1-alkyl-3,5 dimethyl substituted aromatic compound; (b) sulfonating the product of (a); and (c) neutralizing the product of (b) with a source of alkali or alkaline earth metal or ammonia. | 05-19-2011 |
20120097389 | NON-IONIC ALKALI POLYMER SOLUTIONS FOR ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY IN A SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION - 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. | 04-26-2012 |
20120322699 | Method of Preventing Scale Formation During Enhanced Oil Recovery - A method for preventing scale formation during an alkaline hydrocarbon recovery process is disclosed. An aqueous solution (e.g., recovered sea water, water produced from the subterranean reservoir, or a combination thereof) having a concentration of metal cations (e.g., calcium, magnesium) is provided. A stoichiometric amount of an organic complexing agent relative to the concentration of metal cations is introduced into the aqueous solution such that the organic complexing agent forms aqueous soluble cation-ligand complexes with the metal cations. At least one alkaline is introduced into the aqueous solution to form an injection fluid having a pH value of at least 10. The cation-ligand complexes remain soluble in the injection fluid such that scale formation is prevented when the injection fluid is injected into a subterranean reservoir. | 12-20-2012 |
20130068457 | Method of Manufacture of Guerbet Alcohols For Making Surfactants Used In Petroleum Industry Operations - A method is disclosed for manufacturing surfactants for utilization in petroleum industry operations. The method comprises providing a bio-lipid. The bio-lipid can include one or more medium-chain or long-chain fatty acids, such as Lauric acid, Myristic acid, Palmitic acid, Stearic acid, Palmitoleic acid, Oleic acid, Ricinoleic acid, Vaccenic acid, Linoleic acid, Alpha-Linoleic acid, or Gamma-Linolenic acid. Fatty acid alkyl esters are produced by reacting the bio-lipid with a low-molecular weight alcohol. The fatty acid alkyl esters are reduced to a fatty alcohol. The fatty alcohol is dimerized to form a Guerbet alcohol, which is a precursor to producing surfactant for utilization in a petroleum industry operation, such as an enhanced oil recovery process. | 03-21-2013 |
20130298644 | Apparatus and Method For Measuring Viscosity of a Fluid - An apparatus and method are provided for measuring the viscosity of a fluid. The apparatus typically includes an inlet line that is configured to receive a flow of the fluid, and at least one porous medium column that receives the flow of the fluid from the inlet line and resists the flow so that a pressure of the fluid at the outlet is less than a pressure of the fluid at the inlet. A pressure sensor is configured to measure a pressure differential between an inlet and outlet of the column, and the sensor is adapted to determine the viscosity of the fluid according to the pressure differential and the permeability of the porous medium. | 11-14-2013 |
20140202927 | METHOD OF BREAKING OIL-WATER MICELLAR EMULSIONS - A method is disclosed for enhancing the separation of oil-water micellar emulsion, such as those found in production fluid. Specifically, an embodiment of the invention is separating oil and water phases in recovered production fluid by adding an ionic salt such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and/or a high-molecular weight alcohol, such as 2-ethyl hexanol or decanol, to the production fluid. The production fluid may include fluids produced from an enhanced oil recovery method. | 07-24-2014 |
20140262286 | COMPOSITION AND METHOD FOR REMEDIATION OF NEAR WELLBORE DAMAGE - Aspects of the invention relate to compositions and methods that are used for remediation of near-wellbore damage. A specific aspect is a composition comprising an olefin sulfonate, a sulfosuccinate, and a chemical selected from the group consisting of an alcohol alkoxylated sulfate, an alcohol alkoxylated carboxylate, or a combination thereof. | 09-18-2014 |