Anionic polyalkoxy group comprising surfactants on basis of guerbet-alcohols, method of manufacture and use in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications

US9296942B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System · US
• BASF SE

Inventors

• Upali P. Weerasooriya · Austin, US
• Gary A. Pope · Austin, US
• Christian Bittner · Bensheim, DE
• Günter Oetter · Bischofswerda, DE
• Jack Tinsley · Mannheim, DE
• Christian Spindler · Günzburg, DE
• Gabriela Alvarez Jürgenson · Mannheim, DE
• Sophie Vogel · Mannheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 7, 2014
• Grant date: Mar 29, 2016
• Expiry date: Jun 22, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC E): Fixed Constructions
• CPC primary: E21B43/16
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Compositions and methods of synthesis of anionic surfactants by alkoxylation of a Guerbet alcohol (GA) having 12 to 36 carbon atoms using butylene oxide, and optionally propylene oxide and/or ethylene oxide followed by the incorporation of a terminal anionic group are described herein. The GA of the present invention is made by a facile and inexpensive method that involves high temperature base catalyzed dimerization of alcohols with 6 to 18 carbon atoms. The large hydrophobe ether surfactants of the present invention find uses in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications where it is used for solubilization and mobilization of oil and for environmental cleanup. Further, the hydrophobe alkoxylated GA without anionic terminal group can be used as an ultra-high molecular weight non-ionic surfactant.