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US 10,894,913 B1Granted
Surface blocking agents
AssigneeNational Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
InventorPatrick V. Brady
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Injectates and method that use surface blocking agents for enhancing subterranean oil recovery are disclosed. The surface blocking agents reduce the adhesion of oil to rock surfaces thereby increasing oil recovery. The surface blocking agents attach to or are attracted to the oils positive nitrogen sites and have an opposing negative charge that is repulsed by the negative rock surface charge.
Claims6
A method, comprising:
- injecting a solution into a subterranean formation, wherein the solution comprises:
- a solution medium;
- and
- a blocker selected from a group consisting of blocker molecules and nanoparticles;
- wherein the blocker comprises opposing negatively charged anionic functional groups separated by an amount that is sufficient in length and rigidity that the opposing negatively charged anionic functional groups cannot coordinate together to divalent cations;
- and
- wherein the blocker is a nanoparticle and the opposing negatively charged anionic functional groups are selected from a group consisting of carboxylate, sulfide, silicate, and sulfonate groups.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.