GB2131471A - Adsorption reducing composition - Google Patents
Adsorption reducing composition Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2131471A GB2131471A GB08331490A GB8331490A GB2131471A GB 2131471 A GB2131471 A GB 2131471A GB 08331490 A GB08331490 A GB 08331490A GB 8331490 A GB8331490 A GB 8331490A GB 2131471 A GB2131471 A GB 2131471A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- oil
- cellulose ether
- composition according
- reservoir
- composition
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 16
- 238000001179 sorption measurement Methods 0.000 title abstract description 11
- 239000003921 oil Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 21
- 239000004094 surface-active agent Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 16
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 229920003086 cellulose ether Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 239000010779 crude oil Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 239000006185 dispersion Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- FAPWRFPIFSIZLT-UHFFFAOYSA-M Sodium chloride Chemical compound [Na+].[Cl-] FAPWRFPIFSIZLT-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 229920000663 Hydroxyethyl cellulose Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 239000004354 Hydroxyethyl cellulose Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 235000019447 hydroxyethyl cellulose Nutrition 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 claims description 17
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 7
- 239000002736 nonionic surfactant Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 125000000129 anionic group Chemical group 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000003945 anionic surfactant Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 125000001273 sulfonato group Chemical group [O-]S(*)(=O)=O 0.000 claims description 2
- RTZKZFJDLAIYFH-UHFFFAOYSA-N Diethyl ether Chemical compound CCOCC RTZKZFJDLAIYFH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 abstract description 6
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 13
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 description 5
- 239000013535 sea water Substances 0.000 description 5
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000000243 solution Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000012267 brine Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000011148 porous material Substances 0.000 description 3
- HPALAKNZSZLMCH-UHFFFAOYSA-M sodium;chloride;hydrate Chemical compound O.[Na+].[Cl-] HPALAKNZSZLMCH-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 3
- 239000003153 chemical reaction reagent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000003795 chemical substances by application Substances 0.000 description 2
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 239000011780 sodium chloride Substances 0.000 description 2
- FSSPGSAQUIYDCN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 1,3-Propane sultone Chemical compound O=S1(=O)CCCO1 FSSPGSAQUIYDCN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 1
- 150000001768 cations Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 230000000052 comparative effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012141 concentrate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000470 constituent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011162 core material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000779 depleting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002349 favourable effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003993 interaction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002563 ionic surfactant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000002500 ions Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003208 petroleum Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001376 precipitating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 150000003839 salts Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- C09K—MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- C09K8/00—Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations
- C09K8/60—Compositions for stimulating production by acting on the underground formation
- C09K8/84—Compositions based on water or polar solvents
- C09K8/86—Compositions based on water or polar solvents containing organic compounds
- C09K8/88—Compositions based on water or polar solvents containing organic compounds macromolecular compounds
- C09K8/90—Compositions based on water or polar solvents containing organic compounds macromolecular compounds of natural origin, e.g. polysaccharides, cellulose
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Materials Engineering (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Water Treatment By Sorption (AREA)
Abstract
A composition, suitable for use in reducing the adsorption of a surfactant onto the structure of a crude oil reservoir in the course of enhanced oil recovery, comprises an aqueous saline solution or dispersion of a cellulose ether. The ether is preferably sulphonated hydroxyethyl cellulose.
Description
SPECIFICATION
Adsorption reducing composition
This invention relates to a composition suitable for use in reducing the adsorption of a surfactant onto the structure of a crude oil reservoir in the course of enhanced oil recovery.
A petroleum reservoir is formed by a suitably shaped porous stratum of rock sealed with an
impervious rock. The nature of the reservoir rock
is extremely important as the oil is present in the
small spaces or pores which separate the
individual rock grains.
Crude oil is generally found in a reservoir in
association with water, which is often saline, and gas. Dependent upon the characteristics of the
crude, the temperature and the pressure, the gas
may exist in solution in the oil or as a separate
phase in the form of a gas cap. The oil and gas
occupy the upper part of the reservoir and below there may be a considerable volume of water,
known as the aquifer, which extends throughout the lower levels of the rock.
For oil to move through the pores of the
reservoir rock and into a well, the pressure under
which the oil exists in the reservoir must be
greater than the pressure at the well.
The water contained in the aquifer is under
pressure and is one source of drive. The dissolved
gas associated with the oil is another and so is the free gas in the gas cap when this is present.
A time may come in the life of an oilfield when the natural pressure of the reservoir declines to such an extent that it is no longer sufficiently large to force the oil out of the pores of the rock into the well. This stage can be reached before the greater
part of the oil is recovered from the reservoir.
Formerly it was the practice to rely on natural drive for as long as possible, only resorting to artificial production methods when the natural pressure dropped too low to sustain a reasonable flow. However, it has now been established that ,the eventual recovery of oil from a reservoir can be much greater if the pressure is not allowed to drop significantly in the early stages of production. Similarly, by utilising artificial means of maintaining pressure early in the life of a reservoir, production offlake rates may often be adjusted to economic advantage.
Thus in order to maintain pressure, or to accelerate the natural drive, or to initiate a drive where none occurs naturally, it is frequently necessary to employ the technique known as secondary recovery. The simplest method of forcing the oil out of the reservoir rock is by direct displacement with another fluid. When water is used, the secondary recovery process is called water flooding.
Water flooding is one of the most successful and extensively used secondary recovery methods. Water is injected under pressure into the reservoir rock via injection wells and drives the oil through the rock into nearby producing wells.
However, water does not displace crude oil with high efficiency because water and oil are immiscible, and also because the interfacial tension between water and oil is high. This weakness of water flooding has been recognised and many surfactants have been proposed for decreasing the interfacial tension between water and crude oil.
Other attempts to increase the recovery of crude oil from a reservoir by water flooding have suggested modifying the surface of the reservoir rock by treating it with a polymer or surfactant which is adsorbed by the surface and alters its wettability.
Unfortunately, several types of interactions which hinder oil recovery may occur between the recovery reagent(s) and the reservoir rock or brine. For example, reagent(s) may be adsorbed from the flood onto the reservoir rocks, depleting the flood of its active constituent(s). To counteract this it has been proposed that relatively inexpensive compounds, known as "sacrificial agents", should be added to the flood to satisfy some of the adsorption sites in the reservoir rock. Polyvalent cations (e.g. Ca++, Mg++) in the brine may decrease oil production by precipitating the polymer or surfactant from the flood or scale from sea water when this is used as the aqueous component of the flood. Other ions in the reservoir brine can also hinder the effectiveness of the polymer or surfactant flood.A low salt-containing, aqueous preflush may be injected ahead of the flood to provide a favourable environment for the flood.
We have now discovered a composition which
reduces the adsorption of a surfactant onto the formation rock of a crude oil reservoir.
Thus, according to the present invention there
is provided a composition suitable for reducing
the adsorptivity of an undergound porous rock formation, which composition comprises an
aqueous saline solution or dispersion of a
cellulose ether.
The preferred ether is hydroxyethyl cellulose.
Optionally, at least 10% of the reactive sites in
the original ether are substituted by sulphonate
groups.
The composition may also contain an ionic or
non-ionic surfactant of the type used in enhanced
oil recovery. Alternatively, the latter may be utilised
subsequently.
The pH of the dispersion is preferably less than 7.
The aqueous saline component of the dispersion is suitably sea water, where this is readily available. Since sea water is usually slightly alkaline it should be acidified before use.
The concentration of the cellulose ether in the dispersion is preferably in the range 0.005 to 0.5% by weight.
The ratio of the concentration of the cellulose
ether to the anionic and/or non-ionic surfactant is suitably in the range 1:25 to 1:2.
Conveniently the sulphonated compound may be prepared by reacting the cellulose ether with a sulphonating agent, e.g., 1,3-propanesultone.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for treating an oil-bearing formation to reduce the tendency of surfactants to adsorb thereon in the presence of crude oil which method comprises contacting the formation with a composition as hereinbefore described.
The invention is illustrated by the folowing
Examples.
Example 1 is provided for comparative purposes only and in itself does not illustrate an embodiment of the invention.
Example 1
Dinonylphenoxy-(CH2CH2O)7(CH2)3SO3Na was dissolved in filtered sea water to give a solution containing 2,000 ppm surfactant. The pH of the sea water had previously been adjusted to 6.5.
This solution was pumped through a stainless steel column packed with unconsolidated core material from the Forties crude oil reservoir maintained at 960C. The concentration of surfactant in the effluent solution was monitored continuously using an inline UV detector.
Monitoring continued until the detector indicated that the concentrate of the surfactant in the effluent equalled the concentration in the feed. At this point adsorption was deemed to be complete.
From calibration graphs of detector responses against concentration and a knowledge of the dead volume of the system the adsorption of the surfactant expressed in mg of surfactant per gram of substrate was calculated. This was found to be 1.09 mg/g.
Example 2
Example 1 was repeated with the difference that the saline solution additionally contained 500 ppm sulphonated hydroxyethyl cellulose (degree of sulphonation 0.5). This polymer does not give a UV signal and therefore adsorption figures relate only to the surfactant. The adsorption of the latter was calculated to be 0.75 mg/g.
Thus the presence of the polymer results in a significant reduction in the adsorption of the surfactant.
Claims (7)
1. A composition suitable for reducing the adorptivity of an underground porous rock formation, which composition comprises an aqueous saline solution or dispersion of a cellulose ether.
2. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the cellulose ether is hydroxyethyl cellulose.
3. A composition according to either of the preceding claims wherein at least 10% of the reactive sites origionally present in the cellulose ether are substituted by sulphonate groups.
4. A composition according to any of the preceding claims wherein the concentration of the cellulose ether in the dispersion is in the range 0.005 to 0.5% by weight.
5. A composition according to any of the preceding claims also comprising an anionic and/or non-ionic surfactant of the type used in enhanced oil recovery.
6. A compositoin according to claim 5 wherein the ratio of the concentration of the cellulose ether to the anionic and/or non-ionic surfactant is in the range 1:25 to 1:2.
7. A method for treating an oil-bearing formation to reduce the tendency of surfactants to absorb thereon in the presence of crude oil which method comprises contacting the formation with a composition according to any of the preceding claims.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB08331490A GB2131471B (en) | 1982-12-09 | 1983-11-25 | Adsorption reducing composition |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8235142 | 1982-12-09 | ||
| GB08331490A GB2131471B (en) | 1982-12-09 | 1983-11-25 | Adsorption reducing composition |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8331490D0 GB8331490D0 (en) | 1984-01-04 |
| GB2131471A true GB2131471A (en) | 1984-06-20 |
| GB2131471B GB2131471B (en) | 1986-10-22 |
Family
ID=26284640
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB08331490A Expired GB2131471B (en) | 1982-12-09 | 1983-11-25 | Adsorption reducing composition |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2131471B (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN107709510A (en) | 2015-06-10 | 2018-02-16 | 罗地亚经营管理公司 | Phosphonated polysaccharides and gels and methods for their preparation |
Citations (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1541759A (en) * | 1976-09-20 | 1979-03-07 | Halliburton Co | Fluids for use in oil wells |
| GB1549734A (en) * | 1977-06-02 | 1979-08-08 | Int Drilling Fluids Ltd | Preparation of slurries |
| GB2055106A (en) * | 1979-06-29 | 1981-02-25 | Union Carbide Corp | Aqueous solutions containing crosslinked hydroxyethyl carboxyethyl cellulose and their use |
| GB2075041A (en) * | 1980-05-05 | 1981-11-11 | Nl Industries Inc | Compositions and method for thickening aqueous brines |
| EP0046671A2 (en) * | 1980-08-25 | 1982-03-03 | Hercules Incorporated | Method of thickening heavy brine solutions |
| EP0049191A1 (en) * | 1980-09-26 | 1982-04-07 | Elf Atochem S.A. | Process for preparing completion fluids, and pastes used in carrying out the process |
| GB2090308A (en) * | 1980-12-29 | 1982-07-07 | Mobil Oil Corp | Stabilized solutions of modified cellulose in brine and their use as completion and workover fluids |
| EP0061685A2 (en) * | 1981-03-31 | 1982-10-06 | Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft | Gel-forming composition based on a cellulose ether, process for preparing a gel, process for the reversible destruction of this gel and its use in secondary oil recuperation |
-
1983
- 1983-11-25 GB GB08331490A patent/GB2131471B/en not_active Expired
Patent Citations (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1541759A (en) * | 1976-09-20 | 1979-03-07 | Halliburton Co | Fluids for use in oil wells |
| GB1549734A (en) * | 1977-06-02 | 1979-08-08 | Int Drilling Fluids Ltd | Preparation of slurries |
| GB2055106A (en) * | 1979-06-29 | 1981-02-25 | Union Carbide Corp | Aqueous solutions containing crosslinked hydroxyethyl carboxyethyl cellulose and their use |
| GB2075041A (en) * | 1980-05-05 | 1981-11-11 | Nl Industries Inc | Compositions and method for thickening aqueous brines |
| EP0046671A2 (en) * | 1980-08-25 | 1982-03-03 | Hercules Incorporated | Method of thickening heavy brine solutions |
| EP0049191A1 (en) * | 1980-09-26 | 1982-04-07 | Elf Atochem S.A. | Process for preparing completion fluids, and pastes used in carrying out the process |
| GB2090308A (en) * | 1980-12-29 | 1982-07-07 | Mobil Oil Corp | Stabilized solutions of modified cellulose in brine and their use as completion and workover fluids |
| EP0061685A2 (en) * | 1981-03-31 | 1982-10-06 | Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft | Gel-forming composition based on a cellulose ether, process for preparing a gel, process for the reversible destruction of this gel and its use in secondary oil recuperation |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8331490D0 (en) | 1984-01-04 |
| GB2131471B (en) | 1986-10-22 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US3811507A (en) | Surfactant oil recovery process usable in formations containing water having high concentration of polyvalent ions such as calcium and magnesium | |
| US3977470A (en) | Oil recovery by alkaline-sulfonate waterflooding | |
| US4561501A (en) | Surfactant oil recovery systems and recovery of oil therewith | |
| US4817715A (en) | Aqueous flooding methods for tertiary oil recovery | |
| US3191676A (en) | Use of phosphates in a waterflooding process | |
| US3777817A (en) | Oil recovery process | |
| US4676316A (en) | Method and composition for oil recovery by gas flooding | |
| US3826311A (en) | Producing well treatment | |
| US4154301A (en) | Surfactant oil recovery process usable in a formation having high salinity connate water | |
| US4860828A (en) | Gas flooding processing for the recovery of oil from subterranean formations | |
| US4005749A (en) | Oil recovery by surfactant waterflooding | |
| US3258072A (en) | Water flooding with sulfite solutions | |
| US4846276A (en) | Water-alternating-gas flooding of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation | |
| US4295980A (en) | Waterflood method | |
| US4440651A (en) | Use of peroxide in waterflood oil recovery | |
| RU2068084C1 (en) | Method of working a crude oil deposit | |
| US4008767A (en) | Oil recovery by low tension waterflooding | |
| US4276933A (en) | Surfactant waterflood method for the recovery of oil | |
| US4561502A (en) | Oil recovery process using a polyacrylamide gel | |
| US3788399A (en) | Method for inhibiting adsorption of surfactant in secondary oil recovery | |
| US4231427A (en) | Surfactant waterflooding oil recovery method | |
| US3437140A (en) | Waterflood process taking advantage of chromatographic dispersion | |
| US4635722A (en) | Method of increasing enhanced oil recovery by using a higher sulfonate phase obtained on polymer addition | |
| US4733727A (en) | Oil recovery with water containing carbonate salt, CO2, and surfactant | |
| GB2131471A (en) | Adsorption reducing composition |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |