Selection of optimal surfactant blends for waterflood enhancement
US10858576B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 15, 2019 |
| Grant date | Dec 8, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 15, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B49/0875
- WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method of providing an optimal surfactant blend to improve waterflood efficiency comprises selecting candidate surfactant blends based on one or more of the following: a reservoir condition; information of a crude oil; information of an injection fluid; or information of a formation fluid, each candidate surfactant blends comprising at least two surfactants, one surfactant having a higher relative affinity for the crude oil than for the injection fluid and at least one surfactant having a higher affinity for the injection fluid than for the crude oil; evaluating phase behavior of the candidate surfactant blends to select surfactant blends that form a Winsor III system with the crude oil and the injection fluid at a reservoir temperature; and evaluating the selected surfactant blends in a porous media to select an optimal surfactant blend which achieves at least an additional 10% crude oil recovery after waterflood.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.