Magnetically labeled hybrid nanosurfactants for oil reservoir applications
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsNouf Mohammed Al-Jabri, Amr Abdel-Fattah
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Abstract
A hybrid nanosurfactant composition may include a core phase including a sulfonate surfactant and a first aqueous fluid, a zwitterionic surfactant encapsulating the core phase, a plurality of magnetic particles disposed in the core phase, and a second aqueous fluid in which the encapsulated core phase is suspended. The plurality of magnetic particles may be disposed in the first aqueous fluid.
Claims30
A hybrid nanosurfactant composition, comprising:
- a core phase comprising a sulfonate surfactant and a first aqueous fluid;
- a shell phase comprising a zwitterionic surfactant encapsulating the core phase;
- a plurality of magnetic particles disposed in the core phase;
- and
- a second aqueous fluid in which the encapsulated core phase is suspended,
- wherein the hybrid nanosurfactant composition has an interfacial tension (IFT) in crude oil of 0.02 mN/m or less,
- wherein IFT is calculated in accordance with Equation (I):
- IFT (mN/m)=2.78×10{circumflex over ( )}(−16)π{circumflex over ( )}2/(8n{circumflex over ( )}3)(ρa−ρo)ωD{circumflex over ( )}3 (I)
- where:
- ρa=density of the aqueous phase in grams per cubic centimeters (g/cm)
- ρo=density of the oil phase in grams per cubic centimeters (g/cm)
- D=diameter of cylindrical droplet in micrometers
- ω=rotation speed (rpm), and
- n=refractive index of the aqueous solution.
A method for preparing a hybrid nanosurfactant composition, the method comprising:
- mixing magnetic particles with a first portion of a first aqueous fluid to give a first mixture;
- adding a sulfonate surfactant to the first mixture to give a core phase solution;
- mixing a zwitterionic surfactant with a second portion of the first aqueous fluid to give a shell phase solution;
- and
- mixing together the core phase solution, the shell phase solution, and a second aqueous fluid,
- wherein the hybrid nanosurfactant composition has an interfacial tension (IFT) in crude oil of 0.02 mN/m or less, wherein IFT is calculated in accordance with Equation (I):
- IFT (mN/m)=2.78×10{circumflex over ( )}(−16)π{circumflex over ( )}2/(8n{circumflex over ( )}3)(ρa−ρo)ωD{circumflex over ( )}3 (I)
- where:
- ρa=density of the aqueous phase in grams per cubic centimeters (g/cm)
- ρo=density of the oil phase in grams per cubic centimeters (g/cm)
- D=diameter of cylindrical droplet in micrometers
- ω=rotation speed (rpm), and
- n=refractive index of the aqueous solution.
A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-containing formation, the method comprising:
- injecting into the formation a fluid that comprises a hybrid nanosurfactant composition that contains a core phase containing a sulfonate surfactant, a shell phase containing a zwitterionic co-surfactant, and a plurality of magnetic particles, wherein the hybrid nanosurfactant composition has an interfacial tension (IFT) in crude oil of 0.02 mN/m or less;
- displacing hydrocarbons from the formation by forcing the fluid through the formation;
- and
- recovering the hydrocarbons;
- wherein IFT is calculated in accordance with Equation (I):
- IFT (mN/m)=2.78×10{circumflex over ( )}(−16)π{circumflex over ( )}2/(8n{circumflex over ( )}3)(ρa−ρo)ωD{circumflex over ( )}3 (I)
- where:
- ρa=density of the aqueous phase in grams per cubic centimeters (g/cm)
- ρo=density of the oil phase in grams per cubic centimeters (g/cm)
- D=diameter of cylindrical droplet in micrometers
- ω=rotation speed (rpm), and
- n=refractive index of the aqueous solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.