Compositions and methods for corrosion inhibitor monitoring

Abstract

Graphene quantum dots are functionalized by covalently bonding a corrosion inhibitor molecule thereto. In a useful method, a corrosion inhibitor compound is blended with a graphene quantum dot-tagged corrosion inhibitor compound, and the blend is applied to a metal surface, such as the interior of a carbon steel pipe. The blend inhibits corrosion arising from contact with produced water generated by hydrocarbon recovery from one or more subterranean reservoirs. The produced water having the blend dispersed therein is irradiated with a source of light having a selected first range of wavelengths, and the luminescent emission of the graphene quantum dot-tagged corrosion inhibitor is measured at a selected second range of wavelengths, thereby providing for real-time measurement of corrosion inhibitor concentration within the pipe.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.