Abstract:
A method for recovering heavy oil or bitumen from an underground reservoir by injection of anhydrous ammonia gas at a temperature greater than the temperature of the reservoir and a pressure such that the ammonia gas fills voids left by recovered oil and condenses to liquid as the gas cools from contact with the reservoir. The ammonia reacts with native naphthenic acids in the oil to form surfactants. These surfactants emulsify the oil into the immiscible liquid ammonia, which flows into a producing well that carries the emulsified fluid to the surface. The fluid may be depressurized to release the oil and recover the ammonia as a gas that may be recycled. The process requires no water supply, no water treatment, no water disposal, less heat than generating steam, and is compatible with oil-wet, acid-soluble, carbonate-type formations.
Abstract:
An emulsion breaker composition, a method of making the emulsion breaker, and method of breaking an emulsion are disclosed. In one method, an emulsion is contacted with an effective amount of an emulsion breaker composition. The emulsion breaker is a linear or branched polymer having at least one branch, wherein each branch has a first polymer block having a backbone including a plurality of ester groups and a second polymer block including an alkoxylate, and wherein at least two of the ester groups are connected by a - CR1R2 group. The emulsion breakers are preferably formed by reacting a polyol with a cyclic ester monomer in the presence of a first catalyst to form an intermediate polymer having a plurality of branches, wherein each branch has a backbone including a plurality of ester groups, and then reacting the intermediate polymer with at least one alkylene oxide species in the presence of a second catalyst to form an alkoxylate block on each branch.
Abstract:
Low dosage naphthenate inhibitors, such as a surfactant or hydrotrope, delivered into production fluids for contact with mixtures of oil and water, such as in a hydrocarbon producing formation, production equipment, or processing sytems. Inhibitor compounds such as monophosphate esters and diphosphate esters exhibit surface-active properties that cause the inhibitors to self-associate at oil-water interfaces and inhibit interactions between organic acids in the oil with cations or cation complexes in water. These compounds also inhibit aggregation of organic acid carboxylate salts that form when pH and pressure conditions are amenable to organic acid ionization. Preferred inhibitors do not form emulsions due to the formation of unstable mixed interface structures that result in coalescence of dispersed droplets. Naphthenate inhibitor compound dosages of less than 100 ppm can effectively inhibit naphthenate salts or other organic acid salts that can form precipitates or emulsions during crude oil production or processing.
Abstract:
A thermal phase separation simulator and method for testing chemicals is disclosed. The simulator comprises a circular block heater carousel (lO)mounted for rotation on a stage (20). The carousel includes a circular array of test wells (12) for receiving a plurality of test bottles (60), a plurality of heating elements (14) and thermocouples (15) disposed between the wells. Each well has an illumination port (40) and a vertical slit (24) to the outside to allow visual observation or imaging of a vertical swatch of the bottle. An illumination source (41) aligns with the illumination port of each well in response to rotation of the carousel. The method includes adding a mixed phase fluid to a plurality of bottles, adding a chemical agent to each bottle, and simulating a thermal phase separation. Images of the fluid in each bottle are captured and analyzed to determine the performance of the one or more chemical agents.
Abstract:
The present invention provides compositions of oil-soluble inhibitors suitable for use in inhibiting scale formation in a hydrocarbon production system, such as in an oil field. The compositions comprise an acid form of a known scale inhibitor and 2-ethylhexylamine and similar amines. These compositions possess advantages over conventinal compositions used for inhibiting scale formation in that they are less toxic, more biodegradable, and less likely to invade the fatty tissues of marine life.
Abstract:
A method and system are provided for hierarchical data warehousing in a context-variable data framework. The method includes building a context-variable data framework. The context-variable data framework comprises 1) a data point of interest (300), 2) one or more contextual hierarchies (306) based on a type for the data point of interest, and 3) an organizational hierarchy (304). The method further includes populating the context-variable data framework with information (310) relating to the data point of interest. The method also includes storing the context-variable data framework (308) and the information in a centrally accessible data store.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a method for the treatment of a subterranean formation which contains sand particles, said method comprising contacting said formation with a positively charged polymer capable of increasing the residual matrix strength of said sand particles whereby to reduce or prevent their migration whilst minimising any decrease in the permeability of said formation. Polymer materials suitable for use in the method of the invention include polyaminoacids, poly (diallyl ammonium salts) and mixtures thereof.
Abstract:
A method of reducing hydrolysis in a hydrocarbon stream comprising adding to a hydrocarbon stream containing a chloride compound which undergoes hydrolysis at elevated temperatures in the presence of water to form hydrochloric acid, an effective amount of a treating agent that is at least one overbased complex of a metal salt and an organic acid complexing agent, the treating agent being added to hydrocarbon stream when the stream is at a temperature below which any substantial hydrolysis of the chloride containing compound occurs.
Abstract:
The invention is an effective, easy to produce, and economical corrosion inhibitor which can be used in a variety of environments. The corrosion inhibitor of the present invention is the salt of certain tertiary amines. The corrosion inhibitor is the reaction product of one or more tertiary amines and certain carboxylic acids, preferably a mixture of mercaptocarboxylic and carboxylic acids.
Abstract:
Polymeric naphthenate inhibitors may be delivered into production fluids for contact with mixtures of oil and water, such as in a hydrocarbon producing formation, production equipment, or processing systems. These polymeric naphthenate inhibitors exhibit surface-active properties that cause the inhibitors to self-associate at oil- water interfaces. The relatively large surface area makes these polymers more persistent and more efficient in terms of required concentration. The presence of these polymers on the oil/water interface inhibits interactions between organic acids in the oil with cations or cation complexes in water. These compounds also inhibit aggregation of organic acid carboxylate salts that form when pH and pressure conditions are amenable to organic acid ionization. Preferred inhibitors do not form emulsions due to the formation of unstable mixed interface structures that result in coalescence of dispersed droplets. Naphthenate inhibitor compound dosages of less than 100 ppm can effectively inhibit naphthenate salts or other organic acid salts that can form precipitates or emulsions during crude oil production or processing.